ft 


AT 

PRINCETON,  N.  J. 

DOXATIOX      t  > 

SAMUEL  A  G  N  E  W  , 

OF    PHILADELPHIA,  PA. 

o4t  


9 


j       Case,    Divis.^.  j: 

j       Shelf,  _  t. 

\      Book,  _  J , 


BX  7260   .T6  P7 
Todd,  John,  1800-1873. 
Principles  and  results  of 
Congregationalism 


♦ 


( 


PRINCIPLES  AND  RESULTS  OF  CONGREGATIONALISM, 


SERMON 

DELIVERED  AT  THE 

DEDICATION  OF  THE  HOUSE  OF  WORSHIP 

ERECTED  BY  THE 

FIRST  CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH 

IN  PHILADELPHIA, 

NOVEMBER  11,  1837. 
BY  REV.  JOHN  TODD, 

PASTOR  OF  THE  FIRST  CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH. 


PHILADELPHIA: 
WILLIAM    MARSHALL    &  Co. 
1837. 


Philadelphia: 
T.  K.  &  P.  G.  Collins,  Printers, 
No.  1  I/xlge  Alley. 


At  a  meeting  of  the  First  Congregational  Society,  it  was  voted 
unanimously,  that  a  committee  be  appointed  to  request  of  their 
Pastor,  a  copy  of  his  Dedication  Sermon,  for  publication. 

M.  B.  DENMAN,  President, 
W.  S.  CHARNLEY,  Secretary. 


Philadelphia,  November  15,  1837. 

Reverend  John  Todd  : 

Reverend  and  Dear  Sir: — The  undersigned,  in  compliance  with 
the  above  unanimous  vote  of  your  people,  respectfully  request  a  copy 
of  your  Sermon  delivered  at  the  dedication  of  the  First  Congre- 
gational Church,  for  the  press.  We  desire  its  publication,  because 
we  believe  it  to  contain  a  correct  and  powerful  exposition  and 
defence  of  the  principles  of  Congregationalism :  because  we  would 
have  our  friends  and  fellow  citizens,  and  all  who  are  interested  in 
the  cause  of  truth,  acquainted  with  the  foundations  on  which  were 
established  the  early  Churches  of  this  country :  and  because,  having 
adopted  the  same  principles  and  built  on  the  same  foundations,  we 
are  willing  to  be  "  known  and  read  of  all."  We  also  believe  that 
the  publication  of  your  discourse  will  meet  a  want,  which  is  exten- 
sively felt  at  the  present  time.  The  subject  of  Church  government 
is  becoming  one  of  vast  interest  to  the  nation,  and  many  are  seeking 
information  on  the  subject  of  Congregationalism.  That  peace, 
harmony,  piety,  and  energetic  action,  have  ever  remarkably  charac- 
terised a  large  majority  of  the  New  England  Churches,  is  universally 
acknowledged.  Now  let  the  cause  be  explained :  let  the  connection 
between  the  principles  of  the  Puritans,  and  the  prosperity  of  their 
Churches  be  generally  understood,  and  we  have  reason  to  hope  that 
many  Churches  will  long  be  grateful  for  the  information.  With  most 
unwavering  confidence  in  your  principles  and  ministry,  and  in  the 
bonds  of  the  strongest  attachment,  we  are,  dear  sir,  most  truly  and 
sincerely,  yours, 

THOMAS  ELMES, 
MARTIN  THAYER, 
W.  K.  BROWN, 

Committee  of  the  Church. 
J.  NEVINS, 
F.  H.  CHURCH, 
J.  B.  DANFORTH, 

Committee  of  the  Society. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2014 


https://archive.org/details/principlesresultOOtodd 


OETOII 


A  SERMON. 


"  Now  therefore  ye  are  no  more  strangers  and  foreigners,  but 
fellow-citizens  with  the  saints,  and  of  the  household  of  God ;  and 
are  built  upon  the  foundation  of  the  apostles  and  prophets,  Jesus 
Christ  himself  being  the  chief  corner-stone ;  in  whom  all  the  build- 
ing, fitly  framed  together,  groweth  unto  an  holy  temple  in  the 
Lord."— Eph.  ii.  19,  20,  21. 

The  Church  of  God  is  here  compared  to  a 
building  whose  foundations  were  the  teachings  of 
prophets  and  apostles — and  which  teachings  are 
all  to  be  traced  back  to  Jesus  Christ. 

On  this  foundation  it  shall  stand,  and  the  con- 
verts are  congratulated  that  they  were  becoming 
lively  stones  in  this  glorious,  eternal  building. 

It  is  also  compared  to  a  city,  and  the  Gentiles 
are  to  rejoice  that  they  are  no  longer  strangers  and 
foreigners,  but  that  they  belong  to  that  great 
household  of  faith  who  have  passed  from  these 
dark  shores,  to  the  regions  of  everlasting  day. 

Whatever  be  the  figure  used,  the  teaching  is  the 
same,  that  the  Church  of  God,  in  all  ages,  rests 
upon  one,  immovable  foundation,  and  that  in  this 
she  is  to  rejoice. 


6 


PRINCIPLES  AND  RESULTS 


The  history  of  the  Church  shows  this; — and 
perhaps  I  can  in  no  way  lead  you  to  spend  the 
hour  before  us  this  evening  more  profitably,  than 
by  asking  you  to  look  at  the  Church  of  God ;  and 
in  her  history,  read  her  design,  her  duty,  and 
her  destiny. 

That  man  will  ever  stand  out  in  clear  light,  and 
high  in  the  esteem  of  men,  who  has  the  magnani- 
mity to  follow  truth  wherever  she  leads,  and  the 
candor  to  measure  human  opinions  by  the  scale  of 
truth  alone. 

But  how  rare  is  it,  to  find  the  man  whose  eye 
does  not  see  through  the  medium  of  his  precon- 
ceived notions,  or  who  does  not  take  his  own  views 
as  the  scale  by  which  all  other  things  are  to  be 
measured ! 

You  are  all  familiar  with  the  term  Church  of 
God,  yet  all  do  not  mean  the  same  thing  by  the 
term. 

One  confines  the  meaning  to  his  own  form  of 
government;  another  to  his  own  creed;  another  to 
his  own  denomination  or  party;  and  some,  even  to 
those  who  sit  with  them  in  the  same  house  of 
worship. 

Allow  me  to  say  what  I  mean  by  the  Church 
of  God. 

In  its  highest,  best  sense,  the  Church  is  "an 


OF  CONGREGATIONALISM. 


7 


assembly  of  creatures  united  in  the  worship  of 
God,  according  to  his  express  witty 

The  Church  of  God  commenced  then,  accord- 
ing to  this  definition,  the  first  moment  that  rational 
beings  were  created. 

Before  the  earth  was  created,  before  time  was 
born,  or  God's  image  was  stamped  on  clay,  the 
innumerable  company  of  angels  around  the  throne, 
— among  whom  sin  was  as  yet  unknown, — con- 
stituted the  Church  of  God. 

When  the  morning  of  creation  opened  and 
revealed  this  new  world,  the  Church  of  God  was 
there, — "  the  morning  stars  sang  together,  and  all 
the  sons  of  God  shouted  for  joy." 

The  bright  "son  of  the  morning"  had  not  then 
fallen,  and  quenched  his  beams  in  endless  night. 

But  God  did  a  new  thing. 

He  created  a  being  made  up  of  spirit  and  mat- 
ter united — a  frail  but  most  wonderful  and  beau- 
tiful exhibition  of  his  skill  and  power. 

He  created  him  in  his  own  glorious  image ; 
and  now,  before  sin  entered  this  world,  the 
Church  consisted  of  the  glorious  company  of 
angels  in  Heaven,  and  man,  their  young  brother, 
on  earth. 

The  will  of  God  was  their  will,  their  bond  of 


8 


PRINCIPLES  AND  RESULTS 


union ;  and  one  song,  one  spirit,  one  love,  filled 
every  heart. 

But  when  sin  came  to  earth,  these  sweet  notes 
began  to  jar — this  harmony  was  gone,  and  the 
Church  of  God  was  seen  in  broken  fragments. 

The  will  of  God  was  not  thenceforth  the  will 
of  man:  and  the  ruin  on  earth  had  been  final  and 
eternal,  had  not  God  in  mercy  begun  a  new  pro- 
cess by  which  to  re-establish  his  Church  on  this 
his  footstool. 

Since  the  fall,  the  Church  has  been  known  as 
"  the  daughter  of  Zion,"  with  her  head  sprinkled 
with  dust  and  ashes,  and  bowed  like  the  bulrush, 
and  her  loins  covered  with  sackcloth;  or  else  she 
has  been  girded  for  battle  against  the  powers  of 
hell. 

Her  harp  has,  for  the  most  part,  hung  upon  the 
willows ;  but  when  taken  down,  she  hath  sung 
of  her  guilt  and  shame,  and  of  the  fearful  chas- 
tisements of  God,  in  notes  of  penitence  and  sor- 
row ;  or,  when  a  different  note  has  been  heard,  it 
has  been  that  of  a  pilgrim  and  a  stranger,  fainting 
and  longing  that  the  storm  of  wrath  go  past,  when 
she  shall  once  more  have  sin  and  death  purged 
from  the  body  and  soul,  and  the  Holy  Ghost 
again  make  them  his  temple,  and  again  unite  her 


OF  CONGREGATIONALISM. 


9 


to  the  innumerable  company  of  angels  and  of  the 
Church  of  the  first  born  in  heaven. 

The  Church  on  earth  re-commenced  at  the  fall, 
and  has  ever  since  contained  all  the  great  articles 
of  faith  which  are  necessary  for  the  salvation  of 
men  in  all  ages  of  the  world. 

By  three  perpetual  ordinances,  she  has  trans- 
mitted her  hopes,  her  duties  and  her  character 
from  generation  to  generation  ;  viz  :  by 

1 .  Prophecy,  carrying  the  eyes  of  all  the  Church 
to  her  final  salvation,  that  "  the  seed  of  the  woman 
should  bruise  the  serpent's  head. 

2.  Sacrifices,  or  prophecy  in  a  bodily  shape, 
pointing  to  what  was  to  come :  and 

3.  The  Sabbath,  a  fragment  of  the  Church  in 
Eden,  and  a  perpetual,  stated  means  of  preserving 
the  Church. 

These  three  simple  rites  have  been  common  to 
the  Church  in  all  ages  of  time. 

The  entire  existence  of  the  Church  on  earth 
is  divided  into  two  great  periods — 1st,  the  fulfill- 
ing of  the  prophecies  and  sacrifices — and  2d,  the 
full  unfolding  of  the  things  foretold; — I  mean  the 
period  preceding  the  coming  of  Christ,  and  the 
period  succeeding  it,  called  in  the  Bible,  "the  for- 
mer days,"  and  "the  latter  days." 

The  former  period  was  like  the  moon  when  the 

2 


10 


PRINCIPLES  AND  RESULTS 


shadow  of  the  earth  is  upon  her ;  the  latter,  like 
the  moon  when  every  shadow  and  cloud  is  with- 
drawn and  she  walks  forth  in  her  full  strength 
and  glory. 

The  Church  of  God  has  been  presented  to  the 
world  in  three  distinct  forms,  each  having  peculi- 
arities of  its  own,  and  yet  each  having  the  same 
grand  essential.  I  refer  to  the  Church  under  the 
dispensations,  Patriarchal,  Jewish,  and  Christian. 

Under  the  Patriarchal,  man  was  admitted  to 
light,  hut  that  light  was  dim  and  indistinct. 

Under  the  Jewish,  he  saw  light  coming  through 
forms,  and  gross  representations. 

Under  the  Christian,  the  veil  is  removed,  and 
we  see  face  to  face. 

The  Patriarch  saw  the  Shiloh  at  a  great  dis- 
tance, to  rise  at  some  indefinite  period,  among 
mankind  at  large. 

His  views  of  the  Shiloh  were  indefinite  as  to 
his  character  and  offices. 

The  Jew  saw  him  rising  up  in  the  family  of 
David,  the  exact  number  of  weeks  specified,  and 
the  object  of  his  coming,  to  take  away  sin. 

The  Christian  looks  back,  the  light  is  clear,  and 
the  Son  of  man  is  revealed  in  all  his  fulness. 

The  Church  under  the  Patriarchs,  had  her  faith 
limited  to  one  grand  object,  though  indefinite. 


OF  CONGREGATIONALISM. 


11 


Under  Moses,  she  saw  all  the  steps  and  measures 
preparatory  to  that  object. 

Under  Christ,  she  sees  all  the  work  finished, 
and  cries,  "  he  hath  done  all  things  well." 

Under  the  Patriarchs,  the  sacramental  host  of 
God's  elect  was  enrolled,  and  the  army  organized ; 
under  Moses,  the  army  was  carefully  drilled,  and 
taught  in  the  camp,  and  prepared  for  conflict; 
under  Christ,  the  army  is  complete,  ready  to  pass 
on  from  conquest  to  conquest. 

Under  the  Patriarchs,  the  head  of  a  family  offered 
sacrifices  anywhere,  and  erected  his  altar  in  any 
place. 

Under  Moses,  sacrifices  must  be  offered  only  at 
particular  times  and  places,  and  by  particular  per- 
sons, or  else  fire  from  the  Lord  destroyed  them. 

Under  Christ,  the  Father  seeks  the  true  wor- 
shipper in  spirit  and  in  truth,  wherever  he  may 
be  found;  and  the  table  of  Christ  commemorates 
the  event  of  his  having  come. 

Under  the  Patriarch,  the  Sabbath  celebrated  the 
creation  of  the  world,  and  the  rest  prepared  in 
heaven. 

Under  Moses,  it  celebrated  these,  and  the  tem- 
poral deliverance  from  Egypt. 

Under  Christ  it  celebrates,  especially  his  resur- 


12  PRINCIPLES  AND  RESULTS 

recticm  from  the  dead,  and  the  redemption  through 
him ;  as  well  as  the  rest  in  heaven. 

The  Church  in  the  days  of  the  Patriarchs,  was 
scattered :  the  lives  of  men  were  centuries,  and 
the  head  of  a  great  family  was  its  prince  and  its 
priest. 

In  the  time  of  Moses,  life  was  cut  down  to 
three-score  and  ten  years,  and  the  Church  was 
hedged  in  and  separated  from  all  other  nations,  by 
laws,  customs,  food,  dress,  and  worship. 

In  the  days  of  Christ,  the  people  of  God  are 
scattered  abroad  among  all  nations  to  give  light 
unto  all. 

In  these  three,  different  dispensations,  the  Church 
has  been  one  and  the  same. 

Her  faith  has  had  one  object,  Jesus  Christ. 
She  has  ever  had  one  purpose. 

Christ  has  been  her  object,  her  end,  the  bond 
of  union  which  holds  all  hearts. 

The  Patriarch  and  the  Apostle  meet  at  his 
tomb,  and  there  weep,  and  rejoice,  and  praise  God. 

In  him  all  distinctions  melt  away,  male  and 
female,  Greek  and  Jew,  and  in  all  ages  men  are 
united  in  Christ  Jesus. 

He  is  the  head  of  the  Church  under  these 
forms. 


OF  CONGREGATIONALISM.  13 

"Her  prayers,  her  prophecies,  her  sacrifices,  her 
oblations  and  thanksgivings  are  all  pointed  towards 
him ;  her  consolations  and  her  censures  are  in  his 
name :  her  tribulations  are  endured  for  his  sake : 
her  joys  and  triumphs  are  in  his  victory;  and 
finally,  his  are  all  her  members,  in  heart  and  mind, 
word  and  deed,  in  the  life  present  and  in  the  life 
to  come." 

You  will  observe  that  under  these  three  dispen- 
sations, the  Church  of  God  is  based  upon  one 
great  principle;  viz:  that  God  has  created  us  with 
a  social  principle  which  demands  that  his  creatures 
assemble  together  for  his  worship. 

Whether  you  find  his  Church  in  heaven  or  on 
earth,  you  see  them  gathering  together  around  the 
altar,  and  mingling  together  the  voice  of  praise. 

Whether  you  look  at  the  Church  before  sin 
was  known,  or  at  her  while  she  is  rising  from  the 
ruins  of  sin,  you  see  at  once  that  she  cannot  wor- 
ship God  with  the  highest  benefit  to  herself,  with- 
out calling  to  her  aid  the  principle  of  social  wor- 
ship. 

Without  stopping  to  discuss  the  different  the- 
ories of  men  on  this  subject,  it  seems  clear  to  my 
mind,  that  God  created  angels  and  men  with  na- 
tures needing  social  worship,  and  then  instituted 
public  worship  to  meet  those  wants;  just  as  he 


14 


PRINCIPLES  AND  RESULTS 


made  man  in  such  a  way  that  he  needed  the  Sab- 
bath, and  then  made  the  Sabbath  for  his  use. 

In  the  days  of  the  Patriarchs,  the  Church 
seemed  to  use  the  social  principle  only  for  one 
object,  and  that  was  to  aid  her  individual  members 
on  their  way  to  heaven. 

They  gathered  around  the  same  family  altar, 
and  the  old  Patriarch  led  their  devotions  and 
offered  their  sacrifices, — not  to  spread  religion,  but 
to  keep  it  alive  in  his  own  family.  The  Church 
was  to  increase  only  by  hereditary  descent. 

Under  the  Jewish  dispensation,  the  social  prin- 
ciple was  abundantly  used, — to  gather  all  Israel 
around  one  altar,  that  the  church  might  be  in- 
structed, disciplined,  prepared  for  the  coming  of 
the  Son  of  God,  and  armed  with  the  Revelation  of 
heaven,  by  which  to  do  a  great  work,  when  her 
discipline  should  be  completed. 

Under  the  Christian  dispensation,  we  use  the 
social  principle  to  aid  our  individual  piety — to 
sustain  us  in  our  trials,  'rejoicing  with  them  that 
do  rejoice,  and  weeping  with  those  that  weep but 
above  all,  the  social  principle  is  here  used,  to  aid 
us  in  spreading  the  Gospel  and  proclaiming  it  to 
every  creature  under  heaven. 

Hence  the  Apostles,  having  general  directions 
from  their  master,  organized  the  Church  in  such 


OF  CONGREGATIONALISM. 


15 


a  way  that  she  might  best  use  the  social  principle 
to  do  two  things ;  viz:  to  aid  every  individual  to 
grow  up  in  piety  and  comfort;  and  to  aid  the 
Church  to  unite  her  efforts,  and  thus  most  ef- 
ficiently give  the  bread  of  life  to  the  perishing. 

A  few  words  here  on  that  organization  which 
was  established  by  the  Apostles. 

On  what  principles  did  the  Apostles  organize 
those  numerous  Churches  mentioned  in  the  New 
Testament? 

Were  they  furnished  with  an  exact  model  like 
that  which  Moses  received  in  building  the  Taber- 
nacle, to  which  all  things  were  to  be  conformed  ? 
Or, 

Were  they  furnished  with  general  principles, 
comprehending,  but  not  specifying  all  the  variety 
of  particulars,  found  in  those  Churches? 

Now  if  you  attempt  to  draw  up  a  formula  of 
Church  Government  and  discipline  from  the  New 
Testament  which  shall  include  any  thing  more 
than  general  principles,  and  to  say  that  this  is  the 
exact  form  used  by  the  Apostles,  you  will  find 
yourself  in  difficulty. 

The  Apostles  received  general  directions  and 
applied  general  principles  as  occasion  required. 

The  following  may  be  relied  on  as  being  the 
general  principles  used  by  the  Apostles. 


16 


PRINCIPLES  AND  RESULTS 


1.  The  Churches  were  separate,  independent 
bodies,  composed  of  renewed  men,  who  volun- 
tarily united  themselves  together  to  enjoy  the 
preached  word  and  the  ordinances  of  the  Gospel, 
and  to  mutually  aid  each  other  to  build  up  the 
kingdom  of  Christ.* 

*  It  is  expressly  stated  of  the  New  Testament  Churches,  that 
they  had  each  their  assemblies  of  the  ichole  church,  for  the  enjoy- 
ment of  privileges,  and  the  discharge  of  duties:  so  did  the  church 
at  Jerusalem,  and  so  did  the  church  at  Antioch  which  is  called  the 
multitude.  The  whole  church  of  Corinth  assembled  in  one  place 
for  the  solemn  worship  of  God  and  the  exercise  of  discipline. 

These  primitive  churches  were  co-ordinate  and  not  dependent 
some  upon  others  as  to  ecclesiastical  power;  and  had  communion 
by  letters,  or  messengers  for  each  other's  edification  in  love :  each 
church  with  its  officers  acted  as  they  thought  most  expedient ;  as 
those  who  were  to  give  account  only  to  the  Lord. 

The  churches  were  such  as  could  and  should  meet  together  for 
divine  worship;  becoming  such  by  voluntary  consent  and  agreement; 
to  which  a  poor  brother  might  have  ready  access,  and  which,  as  a 
church,  should  reason,  judge,  and  determine. 

The  Scripture  churches  were  made  up  of  visible  saints,  living 
stones,  sanctified  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  by  the  Spirit 
of  our  God — reputed  godly  persons,  acquainted  with  the  life  and 
power  of  religion ;  and  by  a  heavenly  conversation  discovering 
themselves  to  be  temples  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

Clemens  of  Rome,  in  the  first  century,  writes  in  the  name  of  the 
church  of  which  he  was  pastor,  to  the  church  of  Corinth,  and 
salutes  them,  "The  called  and  sanctified  through  the  will  of  God 
by  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord."  Origen  says,  "We  do  all  that  lies  in 
our  power,  that  our  congregations  be  composed  of  good  and  wise 
men." 


OF  CONGREGATIONALISM. 


17 


2.  They  were  instructed  and  guided,  and  their 
poor  provided  for,  by  bishops  and  deacons  of  their 
own  choosing.* 

3.  The  bishop  was  the  overseer,  not  of  other 
ministers,  but  of  the  flock  of  God.f 

*  "  The  primitive  churches  had  the  power  of  choosing  their  own 
pastors.  Those  who  were  to  serve  Christ  in  that  capacity,  were  to 
be  set  apart  by  the  whole  church,  or  congregation.  Clemens  tells 
us,  that  thus  the  first  officers  in  the  church  were  constituted  by  the 
Apostles'  direction ;  and  thus  it  was  to  be  afterwards,  (they  are  his 
express  words,)  «  with  the  consent  of  the  whole  church.'  They 
might  ask  advice  and  assistance  of  the  neighboring  churches  and 
ministers ;  but  the  work  in  those  early  days  of  Christianity  wa3 
chiefly  their  own.  Cyprian  praises  two  churches  who  had  deposed 
their  respective  bishops,  telling  them  *  They  had  not  acted  irregu- 
larly in  what  they  had  done ;  since,  as  the  people  had  the  chief 
power  of  choosing  worthy  bishops,  so  also  of  refusing  those  that 
were  unworthy.'  Cyprian  acknowledges  that  he  was  ordained 
*  by  the  suffrages  of  all  the  people.' 

t  "  Those  primitive  churches  *  *  *  had  their  officers,  viz:  bishops 
and  deacons.  Wherever  the  churches  sojourned,  whether  in  towns  or 
in  villages,  there  their  bishops  and  deacons  were  for  their  service. 
Clemens,  speaking  of  the  Apostles,  says,  1  That  they  preached  the 
word  through  regions  and  cities,  and  appointed  the  first  fruits,  or  the 
first  converts,  after  a  spiritual  trial  of  them,  to  be  bishops  and 
deacons.'  They  devoted  themselves  to  minister  to  the  other  saints 
for  their  edification,  in  faith,  holiness  and  comfort. 

"Two  hundred  years  after  Christ,  in  what  provinces  soever, 
churches  were  gathered,  they  were  called,  the  churches  in  such  a 
place.  So  Irenacus  says,  the  churches  in  Germany,  the  churches  in 
Spain,  France,  Egypt,  &c.  The  churches  or  congregations  were 
many;  and  the  bishops  were  as  many,  for  every  particular  church 
3 


18 


PRINCIPLES  AND  RESULTS 


4.  The  government  and  discipline  of  each 
Church  was  within  itself  and  by  itself.* 

had  its  bishop  or  pastor.  Many  of  them  might  be  small,  and  their 
outward  appearance  mean;  but  their  real  glory  was  in  this,  that  God 
in  Christ  was  the  glory  in  the  midst  of  them.  Lydda,  Jamnia,  and 
Joppa,  three  Episcopal  towns,  were  within  four  miles  one  of  another. 
The  churches  in  the  New  Testament  were  many  in  one  neighbor- 
hood. Thus  we  read  of  the  churches  in  Judeea,  which  was  but  a 
small  tract  of  land;  an(J  the  churches  in  Galilee,  yet  smaller;  and  we 
read  of  the  churches  in  Galatia,  and  of  the  churches  in  Macedonia, 
as  distinct  from  that  of  Philippi,  which  was  a  town  in  that  country  ; 
the  church  at  Corinth,  and  the  church  of  Cenchrea  which  is  a  little 
town  near  Corinth.  In  that  age  bishops  had  their  sees  in  poor 
villages.  We  read  in  Usher's  Religion  of  the  Irish,  that,  even 
above  five  hundred  years  after  Christ,, there  were  in  Ireland  three 
hundred  and  sixty-five  churches,  and  so  many  bishops;  but  their 
revenues  were  so  small,  that  some  of  those  bishops  had  no  more 
than  the  pasture  of  two  milch  beasts.  The  churches  we  read  of  in 
Scripture,  had  their  ministering  servants,  who  were  not  to  lord  it 
over  them,  but  to  serve  them  in  the  Lord;  viz:  Bishops  and  deacons; 
the  first,  according  to  the  only  meaning  of  the  Greek  word  {tTtinxoxoi) 
were  overseers  of  the  flock  of  Christ,  to  feed  it  with  the  pure  word 
of  truth;  and  minister  appointed  ordinances;  and  in  other  words 
were  called  pastors,  teachers,  and  elders ;  the  others,  according  to 
their  primitive  institution,  were  to  serve  tables. 

*  "  All  ecclesiastical  decisions,  in  those  primitive  churches,  were 
made  by  common  consent;  all  the  people  had  a  voice  in  what  was 
done. 

"  When  persons  were  received,  the  whole  church  admitted  them  ; 
and  when  any  persons  were  rejected,  it  was  done  "  by  the  divine 
suffrages  of  the  people."  All  things  were  debated  in  common 
among  them.     And  for  church  worship  and  church  acts,  they 


OF  CONGREGATIONALISM. 


19 


5.  The  gifts  of  the  different  members  were 
employed  to  aid  the  whole. 

6.  In  cases  of  discipline,  the  Churches  used 
every  proper  means  to  vindicate  the  honor  of 
Christ,  and  to  reclaim  the  offender. 

What  a  mistake  is  that  which  says  that  the 
Church  of  Christ  was  organized  only  to  use  the 
social  principle  to  aid  its  individual  members  to 
reach  heaven! 

It  does  do  this;  and  the  Christian  who  neglects 
to  meet  his  brethren  at  the  table  of  Christ,  in 
the  house  of  God,  and  at  the  throne  of  prayer, 
will  sink  away  in  fears,  his  light  will  go  out,  his 
piety  droop,  and  his  soul  mourn  in  darkness  and 
in  sin. 

But  this  is  not  all. 

There  is  a  nobler  object  in  the  organizing  of 
the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ;  it  is,  that  you  and  I 
and  all  its  members  may  aid  each  other  to  glorify 
God  and  save  men. 

What  a  mistake  is  that  which  says  that  the 
Church  of  Christ  was  organized  for  the  sake  of 

always  met  in  one  place,  which  was  frequently  called  the  church's 
house." 

See  Lord  King's  "Inquiry  into  the  Constitution,  Discipline, 
4'C,  of  the  Primitive  Church,'''' — an  author  not  less  remarkable  for 
his  impartiality  and  candor,  than  for  his  ecclesiastical  learning. 


20 


PRINCIPLES  AND  RESULTS 


governing  its  members; — as  if  to  govern  were  the 
great  object  for  which  the  Apostles  organized  the 
Churches  of  God. 

But  look  at  the  churches  which  they  organized. 

The  discipline  of  these  churches  occupies  no 
prominent  place  in  their  history  or  character. 

It  is  never  that  ostentatious  thing,  which  in 
after  ages,  under  the  name  of  decrees  and  ordi- 
nances, has  become  nothing  but  a  bone  of  conten- 
tion. 

It  was  simply  the  principle  of  brotherly  love 
carried  out  in  meekness,  patience,  and  long-suffer- 
ing. 

Had  Christ  intended  that  governing  should  be 
the  great  object  of  his  Church,  he  would  have 
had  its  forms  all  drawn  out  and  defined  as  he  did 
under  Moses,  and  fire  from  the  Lord  would  have 
consumed  him  who  dared  transgress  the  limits 
prescribed. 

Had  he  designed  this  to  be  the  object  of  his 
Church,  he  would  so  have  planned  its  government 
that  the  church  could  have  shut  out  error  of  every 
name  and  description. 

But  wrhere  has  been  the  Church  government 
which  has  been  able  to  shut  out  error? 

Did  the  Apostolic?    How  came  the  Church  of 


OF  CONGREGATIONALISM. 


21 


Rome  with  her  ten  thousand  abominations  to  rise 
up  out  of  these  very  churches? 

Could  the  Church  of  Rome  shut  out  what  she 
deemed  error?  Look  at  Martin  Luther,  fed  by 
her  milk,  rising  up  and  shaking  down  her  strongest 
pillars. 

Can  the  Episcopal  ?  Look  at  the  mass  of  Ar- 
minian  and  Pelagian  errors  which  have  crept  into 
the  Church  of  England,  going  over  the  Prayer- 
Book,  the  Liturgy  and  the  Orthodox  creed.* 

Can  the  Presbyterian  ? 

England  was  once  under  the  dominion  of  Pres- 
byterianism,  and  the  throne  was  overturned  by  it ; 
and  the  nation  was  swayed  by  it;  but  all  that 
now  remains  in  England  of  Presbyterianism  is  less 
than  two  hundred  churches, — and  these  almost 
without  an  exception,  are  Unitarian.! 

Can  Congregationalism?  Alas!  how  is  the  gold 
become  dim,  and  the  most  fine  gold  changed,  in  the 
land  of  the  pilgrims,  where  almost  one  hundred 
and  fifty  churches  deny  the  Lord  that  bought 
them  ! 

*  The  first  church  which  became  Unitarian  in  this  country  was 
Episcopal — Dr.  Freeman's  of  Boston,  under  all  the  influences  of  the 
Liturgy. 

t  See  Bogue  and  Bennett's  History  of  Dissenters,  vols.  3.  and  4. 
See  also  the  Unitarian  Monthly  Repository  for  November,  1829 — 
published  in  London. 


22 


PRINCIPLES  AND  RESULTS 


Of  all  the  weak  things  ever  attempted,  that  of 
undertaking  to  shut  error  out  of  the  human  mind 
by  Church  government  is  among  the  weakest. 

You  might  as  well  try  to  shut  the  plague  out  of 
your  city  by  surrounding  it  with  an  iron  fence — 
when  this  plague  hangs  on  the  wings  of  every 
breeze. 

No,  no,  error  is  shut  out,  not  by  voting  and 
legislating,  but  by  holy  living  and  praying,  and 
faithful  preaching,  in  the  Churches  of  God. 

All  other  measures  are  useless  and  in  vain. 

Hence,  the  form  of  government  in  the  church 
is  only  her  working-dress;  and  that  dress  should 
be  as  loose  as  possible,  combining  two  things ;  viz: 
First,  a  prompt  discipline  which  will  not  long 
suffer  reproaches  to  be  cast  on  the  name  of  the 
Redeemer. 

That  discipline  is  the  most  perfect,  which  makes 
the  disciple  feel  that  the  confidence  of  his  brethren, 
is  admission  into  the  church,  and  the  withdrawing 
of  that  confidence,  is  the  severest  discipline. 

Secondly,  that  union  of  heart  and  feeling,  by 
which  the  highest  and  holiest  efforts  will  be  made 
for  the  salvation  of  men. 

Combine  and  ensure  these  two  things,  discipline 
and  action,  and  you  have  the  best  possible  form  of 
church  government. 


OF  CONGREGATIONALISM. 


■23 


The  circumstances  under  which  we  meet  on 
this  occasion,  at  the  consecration  of  this  house  to 
God.  seem  to  demand  a  brief,  but  clear  view  of 
those  distinctive  principles  which  belong  to  Con- 
gregationalism, as  a  form  of  church  govern- 
ment. 

In  doing  this.  I  only  follow  the  path  of  propriety: 
for,  if  there  be  any  reasons  for  erecting  a  Congre- 
gational church  on  this  ground,  they  ought  to 
be  known. 

I  can  truly  say.  too.  that  so  far  from  making- 
war  upon  any  other  denomination  of  Christians. 
I  shall  only  state  our  principles. — never  feeling 
any  less  ready  to  co-operate  with  others,  than  if 
they  took  the  same  name,  or  marched  under  the 
same  standard  with  myself. 

It  would  also  be  casting  a  suspicion  on  my 
hearers,  wholly  unworthy  of  them,  to  suppose  that 
by  telling  them  these  reasons.  I  should  any  more 
excite  their  prejudices,  than  if  I  were  telling  them 
the  reasons  of  my  religious  belief. 

I  should  feel  mortified  at  the  thought  that  I 
am  speaking  to  those  who  will  feel  the  need 
of  arraying  prejudice  or  passion  to  confute  what 
I  say.  even  if  all  I  say  be  error. 


24 


PRINCIPLES  AND  RESULTS 


1 .  It  is  a  fundamental  principle  of  Congregation- 
alism that  Christ  is  the  head  of  his  Church,  which 
he  hath  purchased  with  his  own  Mood. 

He  redeemed  the  church,  raised  it  up — is  the 
chief  corner-stone,  and  "in  all  things,  has  the 
pre-eminence." 

He  is  the  head,  and  by  and  through  his  minis- 
ters, who  are  all  equal,  by  the  ordinances  of  Bap- 
tism, and  the  Lord's  Supper,  and  by  communion 
in  prayer,  he  meets  his  people. 

All  laws  relating  to  the  officers  and  private 
members  must  come  from  him. 

2.  The  Bible  is  the  only  standard  of  faith, 
government,  and  practice. 

No  men  may  force  their  creeds  or  their  inter- 
pretations of  the  Bible  upon  us ;  and  no  men  may 
use  any  but  moral  means  by  which  to  make  us 
receive  their  views  or  doctrines. 

In  all  things  wherein  the  Bible  gives  explicit 
directions  as  to  government  and  faith,  we  follow  it; 
wherein  it  is  silent,  we  follow  our  own  reason. 

It  was  the  contest  for  this  single  principle,  for 
one  hundred  and  fifty  years,  which  finally  resulted 
in  driving  our  fathers  from  England.  They  did  not 
separate  from  the  Church  of  England  on  account 


OF  CONGREGATIONALISM. 


25 


of  doctrines.  The  doctrines  of  the  thirty-nine 
articles  are  the  doctrines  which  they  held.* 

The  Bible  has  left  the  subject  of  Church  gov- 
ernment so  indefinite,  that  different  forms  have 
been  used  in  different  ages,  and  in  these  different 
forms,  God  has  blessed  his  people. 

Many  have  been  aware  that  the  Scriptures  do 
not  reveal  any  particular  form  of  church  govern- 
ment; but  they  have  not  been  aware  that  this 

ABSENCE  OF  FORM,  CONSTITUTES  CONGREGATION- 
ALISM. 

If  it  be  said  that  we  are  churches  without  a 
creed,  I  reply,  we  have  the  same  creed  which  the 
primitive  churches  had — the  Bible. 

They  had  no  other  creed  ;  they  were  holy,  de- 
voted, energetic  churches,  and  needed  no  other 
standard, — nor  do  we. 

If  it  be  said  that  as  we  have  no  standard  but 
the  Bible,  we  must,  therefore,  lack  harmony  and 
agreement,  I  reply,  that  the  world  cannot  show 
churches,  and  history  cannot  show  churches  which 

*  "He  had  been  bred  by  his  father  what  was  called  a  Puritan ;  a 
member  of  a  sect,  who,  in  the  primitive  sense  of  the  word,  were 
persons  that  did  not  except  against  the  doctrines  of  the  Church  of 
England,  or  even  in  other  respects  against  its  hierarchy,  but  chiefly 
dissented  from  it  on  the  subject  of  certain  ceremonies,  habits  and 
forms  of  ritual,  which  were  insisted  upon  by  the  celebrated  and  un- 
fortunate Laud,  with  ill-timed  tenacity." — Sir  Walter  Scott. 
4 


26 


PRINCIPLES  AND  RESULTS 


have  existed  over  two  hundred  years,  as  these 
churches  have  in  this  land,  with  so  few  defections 
from  the  faith. 

The  harmony  of  these  churches  has  become 
proverbial  through  the  earth. 

We  have  no  objections  to  creeds  when  used  as 
a  summary  of  doctrines.  We  use  them,  and  none 
can  be  sounder  than  that  of  this  particular  church; 
but  we  do  object  to  them  as  tests. 

First,  Because  they  do  not  and  cannot  enforce 
uniformity  of  faith. 

Secondly,  Because  they  do  not  and  cannot  shut 
out  heresy. 

Thirdly,  Because  they  oftener  create  discord 
than  peace. 

Some  have  great  zeal  for  standards  and  creeds, 
and  but  very  little  for  Jesus  Christ;  and  when 
this  is  the  case,  narrow-mindedness  will  make  the 
creed  an  engine  of  torture  by  which  to  stretch 
and  crush  the  free. 

We  cannot  and  will  not  put  a  "strait  jacket  on 
the  limbs  of  charity;"  for  she  "loves  freedom  as 
much  as  she  loves  truth,"  and  when  "narrow  views 
become  her  jail  limits,"  she  walks  in  sackcloth 
and  ashes. 

The  Creator  of  the  human  soul  made  it  free ; 


OF  CONGREGATIONALISM. 


27 


and  if  men  agree  in  any  thing,  it  must  be  a  volun- 
tary agreement. 

Christ  has  made  the  conscience  of  his  disciples 
free,  and  they  cannot  he  hound. 

They  call  hut  one  Father ;  and  hut  one  master, 
even  Christ ;  and  we  feel  that  when  Paul  hid  the 
Churches  of  Galatia  stand  fast  in  the  liberty 
wherewith  Christ  made  them  free,  because  some 
were  trying  to  impose  a  Jewish  creed  upon  them? 
he  at  the  same  time  bids  us  be  free. 

3.  //  is  a  fundamental  principle  of  Congrega- 
tionalism that  every  church  shall  govern  itself 

In  the  1 8th  of  Matthew,  Christ  has  given  direc- 
tions for  the  discipline  of  the  church  which  it  is 
impossible  to  obey,  unless  the  government  be  vested 
in  the  whole  church.* 

So  it  was  understood  and  acted  upon  in  the 
primitive  churches. 

"In  those  primitive  times,"  says  Mosheim, — a 

*  "  Moreover,  if  thy  brother  shall  trespass  against  thee,  go  and 
tell  him  his  fault  between  thee  and  him  alone ;  if  he  shall  hear  thee 
thou  hast  gained  thy  brother. 

"  But  if  he  will  not  hear  thee,  then  take  with  thee  one  or  two 
more,  that  in  the  mouth  of  two  or  three  witnesses  every  word  may 
be  established. 

"And  if  he  shall  neglect  to  hear  them,  tell  it  unto  the  church;  but 
if  he  neglect  to  hear  the  church,  let  him  be  unto  thee  as  a  heathen 
man  and  a  publican." 


28 


PRINCIPLES  AND  RESULTS 


respectable  historian  who  could  not  have  had  Con- 
gregationalism in  his  eye, — "  in  those  primitive 
times  each  Christian  church  was  composed  of  the 
people,  the  presiding  officers,  and  the  assistants,  or 
deacons ;  the  highest  authority  was  in  the  people, 
or  the  whole  body  of  Christians;  for  even  the 
Apostles  themselves  inculcated  by  their  example, 
that  nothing  of  moment  was  to  be  done,  or  deter- 
mined upon,  but  with  the  knowledge  and  consent 
of  the  brotherhood.  Acts  i.  15  :  vi.  3  :  xv.  4 :  xxi. 
22.  The  assembled  people,  therefore,  elected  their 
own  rulers  and  teachers,  or  by  their  authoritative 
consent  received  them  when  nominated  to  them. 

"They  also,  by  their  suffrages,  rejected  or  con- 
firmed the  laws  that  were  proposed  by  their  rulers, 
in  their  assemblies;  they  excluded  profligate  and 
lapsed  brethren,  or  restored  them;  they  decided 
the  controversies  that  arose  $"  this  was  their  order 
for  nearly  two  centuries.  "During  the  greater 
part  of  this  (the  second)  century,  all  the  churches 
continued  to  be,  as  at  first,  independent  of  each 
other,  or  were  connected  by  no  consociations  or 
confederations.  Each  church  was  a  kind  of  little, 
independent  republic,  governed  by  its  own  laws, 
which  were  enacted,  or  at  least  sanctioned  by  the 
people." 

This  is  the  testimony  of  the  impartial  Mosheim. 


OF  CONGREGATIONALISM. 


29 


There  are  two  most  valuable  things  to  be 
gained  by  having  the  government  vested  in  the 
whole  church. 

Suppose  you  want  to  reclaim  an  offender. 

You  want  the  aid  of  the  brotherhood ; — you 
want  the  sympathy,  the  prayers  of  all. 

A  brother  goes  to  the  offender  alone — in  private, 
according  to  Christ's  direction. 

A  private  man  is  talking  to  a  brother;  there  is 
no  authority  of  office — it  is  not  an  official  act. 

If  the  offender  be  gained,  the  object  is  gained 
in  secret,  and  it  is  not  known ;  if  he  be  not  re- 
claimed, two  or  three  brethren  are  called  in  to  aid; 
if  these  fail,  then  the  whole  church  enters  into 
the  labor;  and  whatever  may  be  the  result,  no 
one  has  grown  vainer  or  prouder  by  acting  offici- 
ally. 

Suppose  the  offender  be  not  reclaimed;  then,  I 
say,  the  discipline  is  a  very  different  thing  when 
administered  by  the  whole  church,  than  when  ad- 
ministered by  a  committee,  whatever  be  the  name 
of  that  committee. 

Suppose  a  censure  be  inflicted  on  a  man  by  an 
officer,  or  committee,  (and  it  is  of  no  consequence 
by  what  name  you  call  this  committee,)  it  is  felt 
to  be  an  official  act  merely,  and  the  censured  man 


30 


PRINCIPLES  AND  RESULTS 


may  stand  firmer  on  his  ground  after,  than  before 
such  censure. 

But  let  the  church,  his  equals  and  associates 
discipline  him,  and  it  is  bringing  the  irresistible 
power  of  public  opinion  upon  him,  and  he  feels  it, 
and  quails  under  it.  "But  ye,  brethren,  note  that 
man,  and  have  no  company  with  him,  that  he  may 
be  ashamed" 

Let  him  forfeit,  and  feel  that  he  has  forfeited 
the  confidence  of  the  brotherhood,  and  his  punish- 
ment is  not  only  severe,  but  it  is  subduing. 

So  if  you  would  restore  an  offender,  it  is  no- 
thing but  the  voice,  the  confidence  of  the  brother- 
hood that  can  restore  him. 

An  act  of  a  committee  may  restore  him  in 
name,  but  it  is  in  name  only. 

The  expressed  opinion  of  the  brotherhood,  gives 
Congregationalism  a  power  in  Church  government, 
of  which,  those  who  are  unacquainted  with  it, 
have  no  conception. 

All  diseases,  whether  in  the  body  or  in  the  soul, 
should  be  healed  as  privately  as  possible.* 

*  Would  it  not  be  best,  then,  to  have  the  discipline  in  the  hands  of 
a  select  committee — known  by  almost  any  name,  who  should  have 
the  power,  and  would  be  sure  to  exercise  it,  to  heal  all  diseases 
privately,  and  not  expose  them  even  to  the  church  ? 

I  reply,  that  all  despotism  is  power  to  crush  what  it  believes 


OF  CONGREGATIONALISM. 


31 


If  you  have  a  difficulty  in  your  family,  the 
more  privately  and  speedily  it  is  healed,  the  better. 

If  you  have  disorder  in  the  church,  the  more 
speedily  and  privately  it  is  settled  and  cured,  the 
better.  Diseases  of  no  kind  ought  to  be  exposed 
in  the  streets;  and  that  which  can  be  done  in  the 
closet,  ought  not  to  be  proclaimed  on  the  house- 
top. 

This  is  the  reason  why  Christ  seems  to  have 
made  no  provision  for  discipline,  beyond  the 
church. 

If  he  neglect  to  hear  thee,  tell  it  to  the  church: 
if  he  neglect  to  hear  the  church — what  then?  carry 
it  to  a  higher  tribunal  ?  No :  but  let  him  be  unto 
thee  as  a  heathen  man,  and  a  publican. 

We  hold  that  every  church  is  directed  by 
Christ  to  manage  her  own  discipline ;  that  she  is 
abundantly  competent  to  do  it,  and  that  if  she 
resign  this  independence  into  the  hands  of  a  supe- 
rior jurisdiction,  her  powers  are  null  and  void,  and 
she  may  be  compelled  to  retain  in  her  communion 

to  be  injurious,  and  it  is  efficient ;  but  no  despotism  can  be  coveted 
for  the  sake  of  a  power  which  ought  to  be  trusted  only  in  the  hands  of 
a  perfect  Being.  The  whole  power  of  discipline  might  be  efficient 
when  lodged  in  the  hands  of  a  committee,  if  they  were  all  agreed  ; 
and  it  would  be  still  more  efficient,  in  the  hands  of  a  single  indivi- 
dual. But  did  Christ  feel  it  safe,  in  Matthew  18th,  to  place  this 
power  in  the  hands  of  a  small  portion  of  the  church  ? 


32 


PRINCIPLES  AND  RESULTS 


those  who  ruin  her  peace,  and  bring  reproaches 
upon  her  master. 

If  it  be  said  that  our  system  is  too  republican, 
that  there  is  not  enough  of  government  in  it,  my 
reply  is  twofold. 

First,  That  for  twelve  years  before  our  fathers 
came  to  this  country,  while  in  Holland,  no  [one 
was  ever  arraigned  for  a  civil  crime;  and  during 
the  two  hundred  years  which  have  passed  since, 
no  churches  in  the  world  can  be  found  whose 
discipline  has  been  more  strict,  more  powerful, 
more  feared  and  more  hated  by  the  wicked. 

Secondly,  That  if  the  Christian  churches  can- 
not govern  themselves,  we  may  indeed  despair  of 
any  republic  on  the  face  of  the  earth. 

All  attempts  to  establish  republicanism  among 
men,  are  foolish  and  visionary,  if  the  renewing, 
restraining  and  subduing  grace  of  God  does  not 
give  his  people  power  to  govern  themselves.  But 
we  hold  that  the  principles  of  the  Gospel,  when 
carried  out,  are  fully  and  entirely  republican ;  and 
that  the  day  which  sees  the  Gospel  covering  the 
earth  as  the  waters  fill  the  channels  of  the  sea, 
will  see  every  monarchy  and  every  despotic  go- 
vernment passing  away,  and  republics  taking  their 
place. 

Every  possible  objection  of  this  kind,  which  can 


OF  CONGREGATIONALISM. 


33 


be  adduced  against  this  form  of  church  govern- 
ment, stands  against  all  republics  with  a  weight 
increased  a  thousand-fold. 

If  it  be  said  that  this  form  of  government  is 
adapted  only  to  enlightened  and  intelligent  men, 
we  allow  it  in  all  its  force. 

It  is  adapted  to  enlightened  men,  to  those  who 
can  govern  themselves,  and  to  none  others;  and 
we  want  none  others  in  the  church. 

In  a  state  of  twilight  in  which  there  is  only 
here  and  there  one  w7ho  can  take  care  of  himself, 
the  great  mass  must  be  led,  and  must  lean,  and 
be  told  what  to  do,  and  when  to  do  but  we  hold 
that  when  men  are  brought  out  of  darkness  into 
God's  marvellous  light,  they  can, — if  republics  can 
live  on  earth — they  can  govern  themselves,  and 
they  ought  to  govern  themselves. 

This  system  does  call  for  enlightened  churches ; 
and  enlightened  churches  it  will  have,  wherever 
it  goes. 

Darkness  is  not  its  birth-place,  nor  is  it  its  food, 
or  its  clothing. 

The  members  of  our  churches  must  be  enlight- 
ened, practical  men ;  for,  instead  of  being  mere 
tax-payers  and  worshippers,  they  must  feel  that 
high  and  responsible  duties  devolve  upon  them. 

Called  to  act  together  constantly,  they  learn  to 
5 


34 


PRINCIPLES  AND  RESULTS 


think,  and  to  judge;  and  their  wisdom  and  piety 
are  brought  into  habitual  use,  and  by  consequence, 
are  constantly  increased. 

The  Pastor  is  the  head,  elected  by  the  members 
of  the  church ;  and  the  younger  learn  by  the  wis- 
dom and  experience  of  the  elder. 

The  result  is  to  make  men  firm,  and  active; — 
and  if  what  I  have  said  be  true,  you  are  prepared 
to  hear  me  say,  that  Congregationalism  ought  to 
show,  and  can  show,  great  results. 

Let  me  show  that  I  know  what  I  am  saying. 

For  nearly  one  hundred  years  there  was  no 
other  form  of  church  government  known  in  New 
England  but  that  of  Congregationalism.  The 
wrhole  moral  character  and  education,  whatever  it 
be,  was  formed  there,  before  any  other  denomina- 
tion was  known.* 

Taking  the  glorious  principle  that  it  is  the 
birth-right  of  all  men  to  be  free,  to  govern  them- 
selves by  a  vote  of  a  majority  of  the  community 

*  "  In  1700,  there  were  in  all  the  New  England  States  then  settled, 
nine  hundred  Episcopalians,  of  whom  one  hundred  and  eighty-five 
were  communicants.  There  were  no  Methodists;  and  with  the 
exception  of  Rhode  Island,  very  few  Baptists.  Not  a  single  church 
of  this  denomination  existed  in  Connecticut,  and  but  two  or  three  in 
Massachusetts.  There  were  at  the  same  time,  one  hundred  and 
twenty  Congregational  churches  in  New  England,  besides  thirty 
churches  composed  of  Indians." — Hist,  of  Dissenters,  Vol.  II. 


OF  CONGREGATIONALISM. 


35 


in  which  they  live,  both  in  religion  and  in  politics, 
Congregationalists  have  ever  been  men  to  think, 
and  to  decide  for  themselves. 

As  much  as  the  Puritan  has  been  stigmatized, 
he  never  oppressed  or  persecuted  his  fellow  men, 
for  their  religious  sentiments.* 

*  This  may  seem  too  strong  language,  for  few  have  read  the 
history  of  the  Puritans  with  such  care  that  they  can  distinguish 
between  facts  and  impressions;  and  it  has  ever  been  the  policy  of 
those  who  could,  with  any  degree  of  plausibility,  to  raise  the  cry  of 
persecution. 

"  Nor  is  it  known  that  they,  or  the  Independents  in  England,  to 
which  denomination  they  belonged,  ever  oppressed  or  persecuted 
any  of  their  fellow  men  on  account  of  their  religious  sentiments — a 
fact  as  honorable  to  their  principles,  as  it  was  singular  in  the  age 
in  which  they  lived." — Hawes  Trib.,  p.  48,  49. 

In  1641,  the  Plymouth  Colony  passed  an  ordinance  in  these 
words:  "No  injunction  shall  be  put  on  any  church,  or  church  mem- 
ber, as  to  doctrines,  worship,  or  discipline,  whether  for  substance  or 
circumstance,  beside  the  command  of  the  Bible." 

It  is  the  true  glory  of  the  Independents,  that,  "  of  all  Christian 
sects,  it  was  the  first  which,  during  its  prosperity  as  well  as  its  ad- 
versity, always  adopted  the  principle  of  toleration." — Hume's  His- 
tory, Vol.  VII. 

Let  us  remember  that  our  fathers  endured  the  perils  of  the  ocean, 
of  the  wilderness,  of  famine  and  of  savage  warfare,  for  the  sake  of 
having  a  place  on  which  they  might  plant  the  churches  of  Christ; 
that  they  fled  to  the  wilderness  to  avoid  persecution  and  to  enjoy 
freedom  of  conscience ;  that  their  patent  or  charter  did  not  secure 
to  them  toleration  in  religion,  and  consequently,  their  own  arm  must 
do  it;  and  that  they  lived  in  an  age  when  all  men  believed  that  the 


36 


PRINCIPLES  AND  RESULTS 


Hume  acknowledges  that  when  the  light  of 
liberty  had  become  nearly  quenched  in  Europe, 
they  were  the  only  people  who  cherished  and  pre- 

sword  of  the  magistrate  might  and  ought  to  be  used  as  a  protection 
to  the  Church  of  God. 

M  The  infirm  man,"  says  Bancroft,  "  who  is  just  recovering  from 
disease,  shrinks  from  the  light  which  is  grateful  to  the  eye  of  health, 
and  is  chilled  by  the  very  air  that  gives  new  vigor  to  the  strong. 
The  same  is  true  of  men  in  masses.  An  unnatural  irritability  fol- 
lows a  train  of  sufferings;  the  men  who  have  just  escaped  from 
persecutions  for  opinion's  sake,  shrink  from  contradiction  as  from 
the  approach  of  peril;  and  are  quick  to  discover  the  seeds  of  danger 
and  the  causes  of  alarm,  where  a  healthier  public  feeling  would  have 
observed  the  piogress  of  discussion  with  patience,  or  welcomed  a 
discovery  of  truth  with  approbation.  There  was  perpetual  reason 
to  dread  an  attack  from  the  hierarchy  of  England;  and  the  bulwark 
of  religious  enthusiasm  was  made  the  defence  of  the  colony.  It 
proved  a  sufficient  defence;  its  energy  in  a  community,  where  it 
ruled  without  opposition,  could  never  be  shaken  by  threats,  nor 
cajoled  by  caresses,  nor  intimidated  by  the  rewards  of  dependent 
tribunals. 

"  To  the  colonists,  the  maintenance  of  their  religious  unity  seemed 
essential  to  their  cordial  resistance  to  English  attempts  at  oppression. 
'And  why,'  said  they,  'should  we  not  insist  upon  this  union?  We 
have  come  to  the  outside  of  the  world  for  the  privilege  of  living  by 
ourselves;  why  should  we  open  our  asylum  to  those,  in  whom  we 
can  repose  no  confidence?  The  world  cannot  call  this  persecution. 
We  have  been  banished  to  the  wilderness;  is  it  an  injustice  to  ex- 
clude our  oppressors,  and  those  whom  we  dread  as  their  allies,  from 
the  place  which  is  to  shelter  us  from  their  intolerance?  Is  it  a  great 
cruelty  to  expel  from  our  abode  the  enemies  of  our  peace  or  even 
the  doubtful  friend?  Will  any  man  complain  at  being  driven  from 
among  banished  men,  with  whom  he  has  no  fellowship,  of  being 


OF  CONGREGATIONALISM. 


37 


served  the  sacred  flame,  till  its  light  again  broke 
out  and  caused  millions  to  rejoice  in  it;  and  "that 
it  was  to  the  Puritans  that  England  owed  the 
whole  freedom  of  their  constitution." 

refused  admittance  to  a  gloomy  place  of  exile?' — The  whole  conti- 
nent of  America  invited  colonization;  they  claimed  their  own  narrow 
domains  for  "  the  brethren."  Their  religion  was  their  life;  they 
welcomed  none  but  its  adherents;  they  could  not  tolerate  the  scoffer, 
the  infidel,  or  the  dissenter;  and  the  presence  of  the  whole  people 
was  required  in  their  congregations." — Bancroft,  Vol.  J. 

There  are  two  cases  concerning  which  our  fathers  have  been 
charged  with  persecution  for  religious  opinions;  viz:  that  of  the 
Quakers,  and  that  of  Roger  Williams. 

As  it  regards  the  Quakers,  I  remark, 

1.  That  the  first  Quakers  who  came  to  this  country,  (1656,)  were 
two  weak,  fanatical  women — one  of  whom,  feeling  herself  divinely 
inspired  to  rebuke  the  whole  earth,  went  to  Adrianople,  delivered 
her  message  to  the  Grand  Sultan,  and  escaped  with  her  life,  because 
the  Turks  "  thought  her  crazed." 

2.  A  ship  which  should  attempt  to  enter  a  French  harbor  against 
the  order  of  the  Health  Commissioner,  would  be  sunk  by  the  fort, 
though  she  might  turn  and  go  to  any  other  part  of  the  world.  This 
is  not  banishment.  The  magistrates  of  New  England  applied  (with 
mistaken  views,  undoubtedly)  quarantine  laws  to  the  morals  of  their 
community,  and  forbade  those  to  obtain  a  residence  who  would  destroy 
these  laws.  But  banishment  is  a  term  which  cannot  be  applied  to 
those  who  had  not,  by  any  right  whatever,  obtained  citizenship. 
And  when  we  speak  of  the  Quakers  having  been  banished,  it  is 
altogether  a  misnomer. 

3.  The  first  Quakers  who  reached  New  England,  came  as  the 
open,  avowed,  bitter  opposers  and  revilers  of  the  laws,  both  civil 
and  ecclesiastical,  of  the  colony;  and  for  this,  they  were  forbidden 
to  remain. 


38 


PRINCIPLES  AND  RESULTS 


"Several  years  before  the  American  Revolution, 
there  was.  near  the  house  of  Thomas  Jefferson,  in 
Virginia,  a  church  which  was  organized  on  Con- 

4.  When  they  first  arrived,  there  Mere  no  laws  against  the 
Quakers,  and  none  were  enacted,  till  they  had  exhausted  the  patience 
of  the  magistrates;  and  it  was  not  until  these  women  had  repeatedly 
gone  into  assemblies  met  for  public  worship,  totally  naked,  crying 
out,  "  we  are  the  naked  truth,"  that  these  laws  were  enforced. 

Laws  were  enacted  by  which  the  body  was  scourged  and  maimed 
for  crimes,  which  were  common  to  all,  whether  Quakers  or  citizens; 
but  they  were  repealed  before  they  were  ever  printed. 

Quakers  were  punished  with  death  to  the  number  of  four;  but 
not  for  religious  opinions.  It  was  a  contest  of  the  will  between  the 
magistrate,  and  those  who,  at  any  hazard,  defied  civil  laws.  These 
four  suffered  capitally,  after  their  predecessors  had  first  outraged  all 
the  laws  of  decency  and  propriety;  and  had  come  to  this  country 
knowing  that  they  were  coming  in  direct  opposition  to  the  laws  of 
the  land,  in  an  age  in  which  Spain,  probably,  burned  more  persons 
for  heresy  than  Massachusetts  then  contained  inhabitants,  and  in 
which,  under  a  single  monarch,  Netherlands  burned,  buried  alive 
and  hanged  over  150,000  persons  for  their  religious  belief. 

5.  The  Quakers  received  no  punishment  from  the  rulers  which 
was  not  inflicted  with  equal  severity  and  readiness  upon  their  own 
people,  when  they  were  guilty  of  the  same  crimes.  That  indecency, 
folly,  and  stubbornness  were  punished  far  too  severely,  1  have  no 
doubt;  but  it  was  these,  and  not  religious  opinions  which  were  pre- 
sented. 

May  not  a  single  remark  be  a  key  to  this  whole  subject? 

Under  Moses,  religion  and  government  were  the  same  thing,  and 
he  who  sinned  against  either,  was  liable  to  punishment,  So  it  was 
with  our  Fathers.  Their  religious  character  so  far  predominated 
over  their  civil,  that  we  lose  sight  of  them  as  a  human  government; 
and  both  in  their  case,  and  in  that  of  Moses,  all  that  the  arm  of  the 


OF  CONGREGATIONALISM. 


39 


gregational  principles,  and  whose  monthly  meet- 
ings he  often  attended.  Being  asked  how  he  was 
pleased  with  their  church  government,  he  replied 

civil  migistrate  did,  has  been  looked  upon  as  the  doings  of  religion. 
— See  Bancroft,  Vol.  1. 

In  regard  to  Roger  Williams ;  he  was  an  extraordinary  man  ;  of 
commanding  powers  of  mind,  and  whose  success  was  such  that,  at 
this  distance,  his  decided  and  great  defects  are  lost  amid  the  brilliant 
light  which  the  historian  has  thrown  around  him.  He  had  compre- 
hensive views  on  the  subject  of  human  liberty; — he  was  before  his 
age ;  but  in  many  respects  he  was  a  wild,  strong,  self-willed  man, 
and  one  who  felt  above  being  subject  to  the  powers  that  be.  His 
apologists  say,  "  that  the  extraordinary  development  of  one  faculty 
may  sometimes  injure  the  balance  of  the  mind,  just  as  the  constant 
exercise  of  one  member  of  the  body  injures  the  beauty  of  its  pro- 
portions," and  "  that  folly  has  a  corner  in  the  brain  of  every  wise 
man."  It  is  certain  among  other  things,  that  Williams  publicly  de- 
nounced the  magistrates  for  any  laws  or  execution  of  laws  by  which 
any  of  the  first  four  commandments  might  be  enforced  ;  that  he  con- 
tended that  human  law  might  restrain  men  from  sinning  against  men, 
but  not  from  sinning  against  God,  even  when  those  sins  would  ulti- 
mately destroy  human  society  ;  that  he  denounced  the  government 
for  imposing  an  oath  of  allegiance  to  the  colony,  and  that  while  he 
was  denouncing  bigotry,  he  himself  was  so  bigoted  as  to  denounce 
magistrates  for  imposing  an  oath  on  unconverted  men,  and  as  to 
denounce  all  the  churches  of  New  England  because  they  would  not 
discipline  those  who  had  been  guilty  of  communing  with  Episcopa- 
lians on  the  other  side  of  the  water.  Not  an  individual  in  Salem, 
not  even  his  wife,  was  found,  who  felt  that  he  was  right  in  the  con- 
test. He  was  to  have  been  sent  out  of  the  colony,  but  he  banished 
himself  to  Rhode  Island. 

If  these  men  did  not  understand,  to  the  full  extent,  the  laws  of 
toleration,  they  are  no  more  to  be  blamed  for  it,  than  for  not  under- 


40 


PRINCIPLES  AND  RESULTS 


that  it  had  struck  him  with  great  force,  and  inte- 
rested him  very  much;  that  he  considered  it  the 
only  form  of  pure  democracy  that  then  existed  in 

standing  the  power  of  steam.  They  were,  to  say  the  least,  a  cen- 
tury in  advance  of  all  other  people. 

But  I  have  one  thing  more  to  say  on  this  point,  which  I  deem  of 
more  importance  than  all  I  have  said. 

We  say  that  the  Puritans  never  persecuted  for  religious  opinions  ; 
and  we  are  told,  "  that  they  fled  from  persecution  and  came  here, 
and  then  did  the  same  thing,  viz:  persecuted  others !" 

I  reply,  that  the  Puritans  settled  the  colony  at  Plymouth  in  1620. 
This  was  the  Colony  of  Puritans. 

In  1630,  the  Massachusetts  Colony  was  settled.  These  were 
from  England,  and  were  composed  of  those  "  who  had  not  seceded 
from  the  established  church"  "  That  they  had  been  chiefly  born 
and  brought  up  in  the  national  church,  and  had,  until  their  emigra- 
tion, lived  in  communion  with  her.  Their  ministers  had  been 
ordained  by  her  bishops,  and  had  officiated  in  her  parochial  churches, 
and  had  made  no  secession  from  her  until  after  they  left  their  native 
country.  But  it  seems  that  they  did  not  relinquish  the  principles  of 
a  national  church,  and  of  the  power  of  the  civil  magistrate  in  matters 
of  faith  and  worship." 

These  two  colonies  had  each  a  charter,  government  and  cha- 
racter, distinctly  its  own. 

The  Episcopo-Puritan  Colony  out-numbered  the  Colony  at  Ply- 
mouth, and  in  1643,  for  mutual  defence  against  the  Indians,  the 
two  colonies  were  partially  united;  and  in  1691  a  complete  and 
permanent  union  took  place.  The  Massachusetts  colony  made  all 
the  obnoxious  laws,  and  it  was  not  until  after  this  first  union,  (1643,) 
that  any  laws  or  acts  are  found,  which  can  be  construed  as  looking 
towards  persecution.  So  that,  while  the  Puritan  character  eventu- 
ally prevailed  and  formed  the  character  of  New  England,  it  is  to 
the  excrescences  which  clung  to  the  Massachusetts  colony,  and 


OF  CONGREGATIONALISM. 


41 


the  world,  and  that  he  had  concluded  that  it 
would  be  the  best  plan  for  the  American  colo- 
nies."* 

Having  Christ  for  our  head,  our  clergy  all 
equal,  and  dependent  on  their  people,  and  their 
interests  bound  up  in  those  of  the  people,  being 
chosen  by  their  people,  and  the  laws  of  Christ  exe- 
cuted by  the  church  herself,  while  we  hold  out 
the  hand  of  fellowship  to  all  who  love  Christ, 
we  can  have  no  communion  with  bigotry  or  in- 
tolerance, and  we  cannot  but  hold  with  a  martyr's 

which  were  imported  directly  from  the  national  Church  of  England, 
that  we  owe  all  there  is  of  odium  now  resting  on  the  name  of  our 
fathers. 

It  is  remarkable,  that  while  the  great  Sir  Matthew  Hale  had  given 
directions  for  the  detection  of  witches,  while  they  were  found  in 
abundance  in  England,  in  Scotland,  and  in  the  Massachusetts  colony; 
no  laws  or  acts  touching  witches  are  found  among  the  laws  of  the 
Pilgrims;  and  the  very  few  things  they  did  against  the  Quakers, 
(and  they  were  trifling,  and  for  violations  of  law,)  were  not  done  till 
after  the  Massachusetts  colony  had  moved  them  to  it,  and  not  till 
long  after  the  union  of  1643.  If  the  colony  of  Massachusetts  had 
been  of  the  same  stamp  as  were  the  real  Puritans  of  Plymouth,  I 
verily  believe  the  charge  of  persecution,  or  punishing  for  witchcraft, 
had  never  been  brought  against  them.  The  Puritans,  the  real 
founders  of  this  nation^  never  persecuted  for  religious  opinions. 

See  Farmer's  Genealogical  Register;  George  Bishop's  "Xeic 
England  Judged;"  and  Deane's  History  of  Scituate. 

*  Rev.  B.  B.  Wisner.  D.  D.,  late  of  Boston. 
6 


42 


PRINCIPLES  AND  RESULTS 


grasp  to  the  great  principles  of  civil  and  religious 
liberty. 

In  this  country  our  institutions  are  young,  but 
the  world  can  no  where  else  show  such  institu- 
tions for  education,  for  enlightened  freedom,  and 
for  intelligence,  as  were  planted  by  our  Puritan 
fathers. 

The  Bible  has  been  the  great  text-book  of 
civil  and  religious  liberty  in  New  England  for 
more  than  two  centuries. 

The  Puritan  is  our  father;  and  he  was  a  won- 
derful man. 

He  came  to  this  country — not  for  trade,  but  for 
religion  and  liberty.  In  less  than  eighty  years, 
more  than  thirty  Indian  churches  were  planted, 
under  as  many  native  pastors. 

"He  that  made  religion  as  twelve,  and  the  world 
as  thirteen,  had  not  the  spirit  of  a  true  New  Eng- 
land man." 

While  Europe  was  bound  up  in  ceremonies,  the 
Puritan  threw  off  all  that  looked  like  mummery; 
he  uncovered  his  head,  and  worshipped  his  God  in 
spirit;  he  bowed  to  no  cross,  he  kissed  no  crucifix, 
adored  no  saint,  asked  no  man  to  pardon  sins,  and 
paid  no  tithes. 

To  this  very  day,  hardly  a  nation  in  Europe 


OF  CONGREGATIONALISM. 


43 


has  laws  so  mild,  so  humane,  as  those  which  the 
Puritan  at  once  made  here. 

With  one  dash  of  the  pen,  he  struck  a  host  of 
crimes  from  the  list  of  criminal  offences. 

His  laws  defended  his  family,  his  neighbor,  and 
the  very  brute  creation  from  wrong. 

The  Puritan  broke  away  from  ecclesiastical 
tyranny,  and  with  a  noble  front,  challenged  any 
thing  to  deter  him  from  his  love  of  freedom  and 
of  religion.  All  that  was  imperfect  and  wrong  in 
his  character,  was  no  more  than  "  a  train  of  mists, 
hovering,  of  an  autumn  morning,  over  the  channel 
of  a  fair  river  that  diffused  freshness  and  fertility 
wherever  it  wound." 

Within  eight  years  of  the  time  of  his  reaching 
these  shores,  he  planted  a  College,  (the  first  of  the 
eleven  which  now  bless  his  descendants,)  wThen 
it  could  live  only  by  levying  a  contribution  of  a 
peck  of  corn  from  each  family  in  all  the  colonies, 
or  its  value  in  real,  unadulterated  wampum.  He 
planted  schools  free  for  all  the  people,  when  such 
a  thing  was  unknown  on  the  face  of  the  earth. 

"  Every  child,  as  it  was  born  into  the  world,  was 
lifted  from  earth  by  the  genius  of  the  country;  and 
in  the  statutes  of  the  land,  received,  as  its  birth- 
right, a  pledge  of  care  for  its  morals  and  its  mind." 

Scotland  followed  the  example,  and  reared  her 


44 


PRINCIPLES  AND  RESULTS 


glorious  system  of  free  schools,  after  this  model : 
but  the  first  free  schools,  the  glory  of  this  land, 
the  life-blood  of  this  nation,  were  planted  by  the 
Puritan. 

His  descendants  peopled  New  York  and  Ohio, 
and  there  planted  the  system  of  free  schools  in  all 
its  perfection.  When  Henry  Brougham  brought 
forward  his  views  on  education  in  parliament,  the 
whole  nation  was  electrified  by  his  new  principles; 
but  each  and  all  of  these  new  principles  were  fa- 
miliar to  every  child  educated  east  of  the  Hudson, 
and  have  been,  since  the  country  was  first  settled.* 

The  principles  which  we  now  hold  were  his ; 
for  them,  he  counted  no  cost;  his  arm  was  iron, — 
intelligence  marked  his  way,  "and  as  for  courage, 
a  coward  and  a  Puritan  never  went  together." 

The  descendants  of  the  Puritan  are  now  more 
than  four  millions, — more  than  one -third  of  all 
who  compose  this  nation. 

The  institutions  which  the  Puritan  planted,  have 
poured  out  successive  generations  of  men,  who 
have  been  beautiful  and  glorious  lights  in  the 

*  11  It  is  said  that  in  England,  not  more  than  one  child  in  fifteen 
possesses  the  means  of  being  taught  to  read  and  write;  in  Wales, 
one  in  twenty;  in  France,  until  lately,  when  some  improvement  has 
been  made,  not  more  than  one  in  thirty-five.  In  New  England, 
every  child  possesses  such  means." — Darnel  Wdbsttt. 


OF  CONGREGATIONALISM. 


45 


Church  of  God; — stern  and  unbending  civilians 
in  the  halls  of  legislation  and  on  the  bench ; — and 
men,  who,  in  the  field  of  battle,  contending  for 
freedom,  never  knew  how  to  turn  their  backs. 

During  the  two  centuries  which  have  passed 
away  since  he  formed  these  institutions,  dynasties 
and  kingdoms  and  thrones  have  been  overturned, 
and  recalled,  and  again  overturned, — new  states 
and  kingdoms  have  been  formed,  and  old  kingdoms 
have  perished,  but  the  laws  and  customs  and  insti- 
tutions of  the  Puritan,  in  their  spirit  and  glory, 
remain  unaltered. 

If  the  Puritan  had  his  absurdities,  they  "were 
the  shelter  for  the  noble  principles  of  liberty." 
All  that  was  outward  and  peculiar  to  him,  "  was 
of  transient  duration;  like  the  clay  and  the  liga- 
ments with  which  the  graft  is  held  in  its  place, 
and  which  are  brushed  away  as  soon  as  the  scion 
is  firmly  united. " 

We  have  always  been  taught  to  fear  nobody  but 
God ;  and  our  sons  have  been  our  inheritance,  and 
our  glory  for  intelligence,  for  love  of  republican 
institutions  and  freedom;  and  if  the  time  ever 
comes  when  tyranny  shall  seize  the  power  in  this 
country,  and  make  this  nation  slaves,  the  lastv 
necks  that  will  bend,  and  the  last  spot  where  his 
foot,  red  with  blood,  can  stand,  will  be  the  spot 


46 


PRINCIPLES  AND  RESULTS 


where  Congregationalism  first  breathed  on  these 
shores. 

"And  can  ye  deem  it  strange 
That  from  their  planting  such  a  branch  should  bloom 
As  nations  envy? — Would  a  germ,  embalmed 
With  prayer's  pure  tear-drops,  strike  no  deeper  root 
Than  that  which  mad  ambition's  hand  doth  strew 
Upon  the  winds,  to  reap  the  winds  again? 

Oh!  ye,  who  boast 
In  your  free  veins  the  blood  of  sires  like  these, 
Lose  not  their  lineaments!    Should  Mammon  cling 
Too  close  around  your  heart,  or  wealth  beget 
That  bloated  luxury  which  eats  the  core 
From  manly  virtue — or  the  tempting  world 
Make  faint  the  Christian  purpose  in  your  soul, 
Turn  ye  to  Plymouth's  beach,  and  on  that  rock 
Kneel  in  their  foot-prints,  and  renew  the  vow 
They  breathed  to  God  !" 

But  is  there  not  a  dark  side  to  the  picture?  Is 
not  Congregationalism  allied  to  Unitarianisin  ?  Or 
rather,  is  not  Unitarianism  its  legitimate  child? 

I  reply,  no,  no.  Unitarianism  can  boast  of  no 
such  parentage. 

No  churches  on  earth  have  ever  maintained  the 
faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints  with  more  energy, 
or  made  greater  sacrifices  to  honor  the  Son  even 
as  they  honor  the  Father. 

But  is  it  not  true  that  there  are,  perhaps,  one 


OF  CONGREGATIONALISM. 


47 


hundred  and  fifty  churches,  of  Unitarians  in  New- 
England? 

I  reply,  yes ;  and  I  can  give  you  a  short,  simple, 
and  satisfactory  reason  for  it.* 

When  the  constitution  of  Massachusetts  was 
adopted,  nearly  fifty  years  ago,  they  made  it  a  law, 
that  every  citizen  should  pay  taxes,  and  belong  to 
some  religious  society  for  the  support  of  religion. 

He  might  select  his  own  religion,  but  he  was 
compelled  by  law,  to  support  religion  of  some 
name  or  other. 

This  law  was  made,  the  good,  honest,  religious 
people,  knowing  that  religion  was  the  best  thing 
in  the  world,  and  thinking  that  every  body  ought 
to  bear  his  share  of  the  expense  5  and  the  wicked, 
wiser  in  their  generation  than  the  children  of 
light,  well  knowing  what  would  be  the  result. 

The  law  became  a  part  of  the  constitution  of 
Massachusetts. 

What  was  the  result?  Why,  all  were  a  tax- 
paying,  church-going  people. 

*It  is  not  pretended  that  the  circumstances  here  specified  were  the 
sole  cause  of  the  introduction  of  Unitarianism  into  New  England. 
It  was  only  one  of  the  causes,  and  one  which  is  tangible  and  can  be 
seen  by  any  one.  Whoever  would  see  the  whole  series  of  causes 
assigned,  will  find  the  subject  ably  discussed  in  the  columns  of  the 
Spirit  of  the  Pilgrims. 


48 


PRINCIPLES  AND  RESULTS 


But  that  part  of  the  community  who  here  and 
elsewhere,  spend  the  Sabbath  at  home,  or  in  riding 
out  for  pleasure,  and  who  have  nothing  to  do  with 
religion,  there  said,  if  we  must  support  religion 
and  have  the  forms  of  religion,  we  will  have  that 
religion  and  those  forms  which  will  not  disturb 
the  conscience,  or  alarm  the  community. 

Unitarianism  was  precisely  adapted  to  do  this, 
and  to  meet  the  exigency;  and  it  was  thus  created 
by  human  law. 

The  political  caucus  was  its  father,  and  mis- 
taken zeal  was  its  mother. 

Now  make  a  law  here,  reaching  and  compelling 
every  citizen  to  belong  to  some  religious  society, 
and  to  worship  God  somewhere,  and  I  do  not  say 
that  you  will  have  error  in  the  shape  of  Unitarian- 
ism, but  you  will  have  it  in  abundance  in  some 
shape  or  other. 

Let  the  strong  hand  of  law  drive  all  men  into 
churches,  and  compel  them  to  support  some  kind 
of  religion,  and  they  will,  of  course,  have  a  kind 
which  has  nothing  of  the  power  of  the  Gospel  in 
it;  and  no  form  of  church  government  is  strong 
enough,  nor  did  God  ever  intend  it  should  be 
strong  enough,  to  take  the  mass  of  society  thus  col- 
lected, and  driven  into  the  churches,  and  make 
it  receive  a  pure  faith  and  a  sound  creed. 


OF  CONGREGATIONALISM. 


49 


These  peculiar  circumstances  created  our  Uni- 
tarian churches;  circumstances  which  Congrega- 
tionalism could  not  control,  and  which  can  never 
occur  again. 

This  peculiar  law  is  now  abrogated;  and  its  re- 
peal was  the  death -knell  of  Unitarianism  in  the  land 
of  the  Pilgrims;  for,  in  that  land,  however  errors 
may  come  in  like  a  flood,  and  for  a  time  threaten 
to  destroy  the  inheritance  of  our  fathers,  there  is 
so  much  intelligence,  virtue  and  religion,  that  the 
clouds  will  pass  over,  and  the  inheritance  still  be 
seen,  fair  and  beautiful  as  ever. 

You  may  look  at  that  land  and  see  it,  an  island 
almost  level  with  the  waters  which  bathe  it. 

On  the  pure  white  marble  of  the  island  are 
engraved  the  holy  precepts  of  the  law  of  God. 

Near  these  characters  is  One  who  bends  his 
eyes  respectfully  on  the  inscription  and  continu- 
ally reads  it  aloud. 

He  is  the  Genius  of  the  Puritan;  now  and  then 
the  waters  around  become  agitated. 

The  winds  raise  them  into  billows:  they  roll 
over  and  they  cover  the  inscription. 

We  no  longer  see  the  holy  characters,  and,  for  a 
time,  we  no  longer  hear  the  Genius  read. 

But  the  calm  soon  rises  from  the  bosom  of  the 

storm. 
7 


50 


PRINCIPLES  AND  RESULTS 


The  island  re-appears  white  as  before,  and  the 
Genius  resumes  his  employment. 

If  what  I  have  said  be  correct,  you  ought  to 
expect  the  descendants  of  the  Pilgrims  to  be  ac- 
tive and  foremost,  not  only  in  creating  light  and 
intelligence,  and  the  love  of  freedom,  but  also  in 
extending  the  knowledge  of  God  through  the 
earth. 

And  is  it  not  so? 

Of  the  twelve  evangelical  denominations  in  this 
country,  the  Calvin istic  Baptists  are  by  far  the 
largest,  embracing  more  than  one  third  of  the 
ministers,  and  one  third  of  the  churches  in  the 
land.  Their  mode  of  government  is  strictly  Con- 
gregational. 

But  including  these,  our  own  denomination, 
if  denomination  it  can  be  called,  numbers  more 
than  one  twelfth  of  all  the  churches  and  ministers 
in  the  land. 

And  what  have  we  done? 

Our  history  is  before  the  world.  It  is  known 
and  read  of  all  men. 

The  son  of  the  Puritan — a  mere  boy,  prayed  the 
missionary  spirit  into  existence — which  has  since 
taken  so  deep  hold  of  the  churches  of  our  country, 
and  called  forth  such  a  host  of  soldiers  of  the  cross 


OF  CONGREGATIONALISM. 


51 


of  different  denominations, — who  have  gone  forth 
to  live  and  labor  and  die  for  Christ. 

It  was  the  children  of  the  Pilgrims  who  first 
met  and  prayed,  and  then  put  into  operation  that 
system  by  which  the  choicest  sons  of  the  church 
are  trained  up  and  fitted  to  go  forth  into  the  vine- 
yard of  God. 

They  first  heard  the  wail  of  the  starving  in  the 
wilderness  of  the  West,  and  sent  them  bread  for 
years,  before  any  body  else  knew  that  they  were 
starving. 

The  fact  that  we  have  no  great  and  powerful 
ecclesiastical  combination  is  often  adduced  as  evi- 
dence of  the  weakness  of  our  system  of  church 
government. 

It  ought  to  be  adduced  as  evidence  of  our 
strength — not  needing  to  be  upheld  by  any  com- 
bination. 

But  we  have  no  such  combination;  and  I  can 
tell  you  why.  Because, 

In  the  first  place,  Christ  never  organized  any 
such  combinations. 

Whatever  may  be  their  wisdom  or  their  useful- 
ness, the  credit  all  belongs  to  men. 

Secondly,  The  history  of  all  ecclesiastical  com- 
binations is  too  melancholy  to  cause  us  to  wish  for 
one. 


52 


PRINCIPLES  AND  RESULTS 


What  is  this  history?    Simply  this  : 

Almost  all,  if  not  all  ecclesiastical  combinations 
originated  with  good  men;  and  were  created  with 
the  hope  and  expectation  that  they  would  be  in- 
struments of  doing  great  good, — adding  strength  to 
the  church,  so  that  the  world  could  see  and  feel  that 
she  had  some  arm  to  sustain  her  besides  the  arm 
of  God.  They  strongly  resembled  the  heathen 
poets,  who  first  declared  their  hero  to  be  so  pro- 
tected by  the  gods,  that  he  is  invulnerable;  and  then, 
loaded  him  with  human  armor. 

In  the  process  of  time,  it  has  been  found,  that  to 
manage  the  machinery,  called  men  of  a  restless, 
ambitious  spirit  into  action. 

The  power  of  managing  and  of  governing  was 
felt,  and  the  machinery  became  the  thing  on 
which  the  ambitious  and  the  restless  rode  into 
notice. 

But  as  all  the  ambitious  could  not  thus  get  into 
notice  and  power,  the  combination  has  been  used 
as  the  arena  on  which  they  have  contended  for 
power  and  place. 

The  curtains  of  the  tabernacle  have  been  rent, 
that  the  combatants  might  wrap  themselves  up  in 
their  shreds,  and  the  staves  of  the  ark  of  God  have 
been  seized,  by  which  it  might  be  decided  who 
should  bear  the  ark. 


OF  CONGREGATIONALISM. 


53 


The  next  result  seen  is,  that  all  ecclesiastical 
combinations  want  piety  enough  to  keep  down  the 
ambitious,  and  to  keep  from  quarrelling. 

They  have  quarrelled,  and  do,  and  will;  and 
to  prevent  it,  they  must  at  once  ask  the  law  and 
the  sword  of  State  to  take  them,  and  hold  them 
together,  and  fight  for  them,  as  the  Church  of 
England  has  done;  or,  they  must  separate,  and 
break  into  fragments. 

But  this  is  not  all. 

As  there  is  not  piety  enough  to  keep  together, 
so  there  is  not  enough  to  separate  peaceably. 

They  must  go  to  the  world,  to  worldly  men  to 
aid  them,  by  opinions,  or  by  the  law-book;  and 
finally,  they  must  ask  the  aid  of  the  world  in  the 
shape  of  law,  to  come  in  and  separate  them.* 

This  is  the  simple  history  of  all  ecclesiastical 
combinations,  and  this,  we  fear,  must  ever  be  their 

*  This  may  be  thought  severe.  I  know  that  it  is  not  said  with  an 
unkind  spirit;  but  the  likeness  will  at  once  be  recognized  by  those 
who  have  read  the  controversies  in  the  Romish  Church,  the  discus- 
sions of  the  Quakers,  which  resulted  in  a  great  law  case,  or  the  dis- 
cussion of  the  General  Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  passim. 
If,  however,  it  be  thought  severe  language,  a  very  short  examination 
will  satisfy  any  one,  that  it  is  mildness  itself,  in  comparison  with 
that  which  the  partizans  of  almost  any  ecclesiastical  combination  use 
towards  each  other  every  week;  and,  of  course,  such  will  not  com- 
plain. 


54 


PRINCIPLES  AND  RESULTS 


history  and  result,  and  it  is  for  these  reasons  that 
we  have  none,  and  can  submit  to  none. 

At  the  same  time  you  will  see,  that  while  we 
cannot  and  will  not  jeopardize  our  peace,  and 
sacrifice  our  liberty,  and  give  our  strength  to  hold 
up  a  great  religious  combination,  we  have  no 
desire  to  control  others. 

The  spirit  of  proselytism  never  has  been,  and 
never  can  be,  ours. 

We  proclaim  our  principles  clearly,  simply, 
fully  and  practically;  and  if  any  feel  that  they 
need  more  government  and  more  law,  they  can 
always  find  them,  and  we  have  no  possible  objec- 
tions. 

You  see  too,  from  what  are  our  principles,  that 
we  can  work  and  co-operate  with  any  body  and 
every  body,  who  love  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in 
sincerity. 

As  evidence  of  this,  let  me  say  that  the  little 
State  of  Connecticut  has  planted  over  four  hun- 
dred churches  in  the  West,  and  New  England 
over  fifteen  hundred  churches  at  the  West; — that 
for  the  last  forty  years,  New  England  has  given, 
on  an  average,  full  $50,000  annually,  to  build  up 
the  Institutions  of  the  West;  that  at  one  time  I 
knew  of  between  twenty  and  thirty  agents  from 
the  West  soliciting  contributions  in  New  England; 


OF  CONGREGATIONALISM. 


55 


and  that  our  churches  did  all  this,  and  poured  all 
this  tide  and  strength  into  the  Presbyterian 
church,  just  as  freely  as  if  they  had  been  Congre- 
gational churches;  and  in  feeling,  in  spirit,  and  in 
bestowing,  our  churches  at  the  East,  have  never 
made  any  distinction  between  churches  that  were 
Presbyterian  and  those  which  were  Congregational. 

Our  aim  is  to  aid  our  fellow  Christians  to  con- 
vert the  world  to  holiness,  and  our  motto  is,  "none 
of  us  liveth  unto  himself." 

We  know  that  a  church,  or  any  number  of 
churches,  may  draw  a  fence  around  themselves, 
and  love  and  cherish  themselves,  and  build  up 
themselves,  and  be  charitable  towards  themselves, 
and  make  all  their  plans  and  charities  centre  upon 
themselves: — and  how  many  such  churches  would 
it  take  to  convert  the  world  to  God  ? 

How  long  before  there  would  be  heard  loud 
voices  in  heaven  saying,  "Hallelujah,  for  the  Lord 
God  omnipotent  reigneth,  and  the  kingdoms  of 
this  world  have  become  the  kingdoms  of  our 
Lord  and  of  his  Christ,  and  he  shall  reign  for 
ever  and  ever?" 

Why,  you  might  gather  as  many  such  churches 
as  you  please,  and  build  them  up,  and  let  them 
live  unto  themselves,  and  strengthen  themselves, 
and  they  would  do  no  more  in  the  great  warfare 


56 


PRINCIPLES  AND  RESULTS 


upon  the  powers  of  darkness,  and  for  the  salvation 
of  the  earth,  than  so  many  small,  isolated  forts — 
each  of  which  was  taking  care  of  itself — would 
do  towards  conquering  an  army  of  light-horsemen! 

One  prominent  feature  in  the  church  which  is 
to  worship  within  these  walls,  I  do  trust  under 
God,  is  to  he  that  of  universal  henevolence — not 
living  unto  itself. 

The  ohject  at  which  we  aim,  is  not  selfish ;  it 
is  high,  and  broad,  and  vast. 

We  no  more  live  for  this  church  and  build  up 
for  this  church,  than  we  have  reared  this  house 
for  the  few  little  ornaments  which  are  put  on  the 
pulpit. 

Our  object  looks  beyond  such  petty  distinctions 
as  that  of  party  and  sect,  and  the  narrowness  of 
prejudices — it  is  to  exist  for  God. 

We  claim  nothing  of  that  liberality  which 
covers  up  error  or  scepticism,  or  buries  up  the 
great  doctrines  of  the  Bible,  or  strips  the  cross  of 
its  glory,  and  the  Son  of  God  of  his  crown ;  but 
we  do  claim  that  liberality  which  never  allows 
the  energies  of  the  Christian  character  to  be  pal- 
sied by  prejudice,  nor  the  everlasting  claims  of 
the  Gospel  to  be  urged  as  a  means  of  strengthening 
bigotry. 

We  will  never,  knowingly,  countenance  wrath, 


OF  CONGREGATIONALISM. 


57 


or  bitterness,  or  collusion  of  any  kind  by  which 
to  propagate,  or  sustain  our  creed. 

Those  who  differ  from  us,  shall,  unmolested  by 
us,  serve  God  in  their  own  way,  and  we  will 
allow  them  all  the  virtue  which  they  possess. 

We  call  that  man  brother,  who  carries  the  image 
of  Christ;  he  shall  come  with  us  to  the  common 
table  of  Jesus,  and  we  will  give  him  the  hand  warm 
for  every  good  work;  we  will  join  in  any  plan  of 
doing  good,  and  the  only  rivalship  he  shall  find  in 
us,  shall  be  that  of  self-denying  labor,  holy  de- 
votedness,  and  an  earnest  desire  to  carry  the 
standard  of  the  cross  far  into  the  ranks  of  the 
wicked  one. 

And  when  we  fall  in  battle,  we  will  call  him 
the  most  glorious  warrior,  who  hath,  without  noise 
and  strife,  carried  the  standard  of  truth  and 
righteousness  the  farthest  towards  the  heart  of 
sin's  dominion. 

Is  not  this  the  spirit  of  the  Gospel? 

That  hand,  which  every  morning  lifts  up  the 
curtains  of  night,  pours  his  light  upon  all. 

That  creating  One,  whose  eyes  run  to  and  fro 
through  all  the  earth,  watches  and  ministers  to 
the  smallest  creature  that  lives,  and  to  the  most 
forlorn  human  being  that  breathes. 

The  blood  which  flowed  so  freely  on  Calvary, 
S 


58 


PRINCIPLES  AND  RESULTS 


is  for  all  people  and  kindreds,  and  tongues  and 
nations;  for  the  infant  of  a  day.  and  for  the  old 
sinner  trembling  over  the  grave. 

He  who  does  not  feel  that  he  can  press  to  his 
bosom  all  who  love  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  "the 
true  God  and  eternal  life,"  is  a  stranger  to  some 
of  the  sweetest  streams  which  flow  from  the  hill 
of  Zion. 

We  trust  that  the  great  object  for  which  this 
church  has  come  into  existence,  is  the  glory  of 
God;  to  see  how  much  she  can  do,  in  the  shortest 
time,  for  the  salvation  of  men. 

Sacrifices  she  must  make;  trials  she  must  meet; 
but  if  she  may  grow  up  pure,  active,  devoted,  pos- 
sessing the  spirit  of  Christ,  which  is  the  very 
spirit  of  missions,  she  need  ask  for  no  reward, 
save  what  arises  from  doing  good,  and  the  appro- 
bation of  the  Great  Master. 

We  do  hope  that  as  long  as  these  walls  stand, 
the  Gospel  will  here  be  proclaimed  faithfully, 
simply,  and  purely;  that  this  church  will  possess 
the  elasticity  and  vigor  of  youth,  with  the  maturity 
of  age — not  living  for  herself,  but  for  God. 

We  hope  that  the  altar  which  we  rear  here, 
will  be  that  on  which  we  shall  consecrate  our  sons 
and  our  daughters  to  Christ, — devoting  them  in 
the  everlasting  covenant  of  love, — and  training 


OF  CONGREGATIONALISM. 


59 


them  up  to  carry  the  tidings  of  everlasting  love  to 
the  dark  places  of  the  earth,  now  full  of  the  habi- 
tations of  cruelty. 

We  hope  to  raise  up  men — benefactors  to  im- 
mortal souls — men  who,  with  an  eye  bright  with 
faith,  with  a  soul  enlarged,  generous,  pure,  quick- 
ened by  the  Spirit  of  God,  burning  with  love, 
shall  live  unto  him  who  bought  his  church  with 
his  own  blood ! 

Brethren,  we  hope  this  will  be  the  birth-place 
of  many  souls — the  spot  over  which  the  wings  of 
everlasting  mercy  will  be  spread — hallowed  by 
the  presence  of  the  great  Redeemer — made  sacred 
by  the  constant  visitations  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

We,  who  have  reared  these  walls, — who  have 
watched  their  progress — whose  hopes  have  been 
gathering  here — who  have  come  together  to  con- 
secrate this  house  to  God, — shall  soon  be  gone — 
beyond  the  boundaries  of  time. 

We  hope  these  walls  will  be  standing  and  this 
house  filled  with  worshipers  when  we  are  gone — 
when  we  are  forgotten  on  earth ! 

I  need  not  say  that  this  house  has  not  been 
erected  without  great  care,  expense,  and  many 
fears;  and  I  hope  it  has  not  been  done  without 
much  prayer. 

Those  who  have  reared  it  cannot  long  enjoy  it; 


60  PRINCIPLES  AND  RESULTS 

but  if  wise,  they  will  soon  enter  a  temple  more 
beautiful  than  this,  more  lasting,  more  pure. 

Sin  has  already  defiled  this;  that  shall  never  be 
polluted ! 

Oh!  the  ways  in  which  God  hath  led  us! 

I  cannot  forget,  that  within  the  short  period  of 
a  little  more  than  ten  years,  during  which  I  have 
been  a  minister,  this  is  the  third  time  I  have  met 
and  rejoiced  with  my  young  flocks,  as  we  gathered 
around  the  newly-erected  altar  of  God — to  conse- 
crate it  to  the  God  of  Redemption,  Father,  Son, 
and  Holy  Ghost. 

The  finger  of  God  wrote  salvation  on  the  walls 
of  those  churches. 

Oh,  flocks !  led  by  my  inexperienced  youth,  kind 
to  forgive  my  many  imperfections — ready  to  sus- 
tain me  by  your  confidence  and  love — Oh,  flocks! 
dear  to  my  memory  as  the  apple  of  the  eye,  may 
peace  rest  upon  you,  and  a  light  from  your  altars, 
pure  and  bright,  and  beautiful,  go  up  and  spread 
wide  over  the  sweet  hills  and  valleys  which  sur- 
round you!* 

*  The  speaker  was  Pastor  of  The  Union  Church  in  Groton, 
Mass.,  for  six  years,  and  of  The  Edwards  Church  in  Northamp- 
ton, Mass.,  three  years.  In  neither  place  did  he  ever  receive  an 
unkind  act  or  word  from  any  member  of  his  charge;  and  in  each, 
hi3  situation  was  as  delightful  as  can  be  enjoyed  in  this  imperfect 


OF  CONGREGATIONALISM.  Gl 

But  this  house!  this  heautiful  house — towards 
it  the  eyes  of  many  have  been  turned — to  it,  the 
sympathies  of  many  have  been  gathered. 

We  pray  that  it  may  be  the  spot  where  many 
shall  be  fitted  for  the  Temple  of  God  in  the  Hea- 
vens. 

It  may  be  consumed  by  fires — it  may  be  per- 
verted and  cursed,  and  become  a  beautiful  sepul- 
chre for  souls — a  splendid  gate-way  to  hell. 

We  cannot  keep  it — we  cannot  be  here  to  guard 
it,  we  can  only  commend  it  to  God. 

Oh !  the  time  will  soon  be  here,  when  the  angel 
on  the  wing  with  the  trumpet  of  the  resurrection, 
shall  awake  the  dead,  small  and  great,  to  stand 
before  God  in  judgment: — then  will  the  effects  of 
this  church,  on  the  everlasting  destiny  of  men,  be 
revealed !  then  our  motives  will  all  be  laid  naked. 

My  dear  brethren,  in  the  hopes  of  doing  good  to 
the  souls  of  men — of  honoring  the  blessed  Re- 
deemer, we  have  associated  together  as  a  Church 
of  Christ — we  have  erected  this  building — we 
have  come  together  this  evening  to  consecrate  it  to 
God. 

You  have  come  together  to  renew  the  dedica- 
tion of  yourselves,  of  your  children,  and  to  give 

state.  Both  of  these  beloved  churches  are  now  walking  "  in  the 
truth  and  are  edified." 


62 


PRINCIPLES  AND  RESULTS 


this  building,  the  fruit  of  your  toil  and  anxieties, 
to  Him. 

If  there  be  envy,  wrath,  strife,  or  pride  in  your 
hearts,  put  it  away,  empty  the  bosom  of  sin. 

Put  off  your  shoes — for  the  ground  on  which 
we  stand  is  holy. 

These  spectators  and  friends,  this  assembled 
multitude,  are  not  all  that  are  here,  who  have 
come  to  see  us  give  this  house  away  to  God ! 

A  great  cloud  of  witnesses  are  above  us;  the 
angel  of  the  bush  is  here ;  the  spirits  of  just  men 
made  perfect  are  here ;  angels  of  light,  with  faces 
covered  by  their  wings,  are  here ;  and  here,  look- 
ing down  into  this  assembly,  is  the  Lord  of  glory. 

The  cloud  and  the  glory  hang  over  us;  we  are 
in  the  immediate  presence  of  the  great  God. 

King  Immortal,  invisible,  only  wise  God!  the 
heavens  and  the  earth  are  thine,  by  creation  and 
preservation. 

Dwelling  m  the  heavens,  surrounded  by  ten 
thousand  times  ten  thousand  holy  beings,  thou 
needest  not  earthly  temples,  but  we  need  them; 
and  for  thine  acceptance,  we  bring  thee  this  temple. 

Saviour  of  sinners !  once  abased  even  to  the 
death  of  the  cross  to  redeem  sinners,  now  exalted 
at  the  right  hand  of  God,  "  head  over  all  things  to 
the  church,"  to  thee  we  bring  this  temple. 


OF  CONGREGATIONALISM. 


63 


Spirit  of  God  ! — emblem  of  peace — author  of 
sanctification — to  thee  we  bring  it. 

To  the  one  God  in  whose  name  we  are  bap- 
tized, the  God  of  Redemption,  Father,  Son,  and 
Holy  Ghost,  we  now  solemnly  dedicate  this  Pul- 
pit; may  it  ever  be  the  fountain  from  which 
the  pure  waters  of  life  shall  abundantly  flow; 
this  altar  of  communion,  may  it  be  the  place 
where,  for  generations  to  come,  the  Savior  w\ll 
meet  and  bless,  and  forgive  his  people ;  these 
seats,  these  galleries,  that  orchestra,  that 
study,  that  room  of  prayer,  that  room  for  the 
lambs  of  the  flock,  that  lecture  room,  these 
walls,  this  whole  building — 

— We  dedicate  this  beautiful  edifice,  from  the 
foundation  stone  to  its  top,  to  the  honor  and  wor- 
ship of  the  triune  God,  to  the  inculcation  of  those 
great,  glorious,  free  truths  which  the  Apostles 
preached,  and  which  to  those  who  first  planted 
the  Churches  of  God  on  these  shores,  were  dearer 
than  life ! 

God  of  the  spirits  of  all  flesh — Savior  of  sin- 
ners— Spirit  of  holiness,  to  thee — to  thee — to  thee 
we  consecrate  it! 

Thou  Dweller  between  the  cherubims !  shine 
forth!  shine  forth  in  thy  majesty,  beauty  and  glory! 

Here  let  us,  let  our  children,  and  our  children's 


64 


PRINCIPLES  AND  RESULTS 


children,  to  the  latest  posterity,  come  and  be  guided 
to  eternal  life. 

Oh!  Savior  of  men!  here  let  thy  blood  be  ap- 
plied to  the  conscience,  till  multitudes  are  prepared 
for  the  inheritance  of  the  saints  in  light. 

Do  re  of  heaven!  here  let  thy  wings  be  ever 
spread:  and  let  the  worshipper  here  ever  rejoice 
under  their  shadow. 

God  of  redeeming  love!  here  may  thy  church 
see  thy  glory,  feel  thy  power,  taste  thy  love,  com- 
mune with  thyself :  here  may  she  dedicate  herself 
and  her  children  to  thee,  and  here  ever  wear  the 
garments  of  salvation: — and 

Oh!  when  our  heads  shall  rest  in  the  grave — 
when  others  have  found  thee  and  praised  thee  in 
these  courts,  and  have  followed  us  to  the  land  of 
silence — when  these  walls  shall  crumble  and  be 
no  more — when  the  very  ground  on  which  they 
rest  shall  have  been  melted  in  the  fires  of  the  last 
great  day — may  we,  and  a  multitude  too  big  for 
numbering,  who  have  been  redeemed  and  sanctified 
here,  meet  in  thy  presence,  and  at  thy  feet  cast 
our  crowns,  and  forever  cry,  ;*  thou  art  worthy." 

"  And  let  all  the  people  say,  Amen." 


FIRST  CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH. 


FIRST  CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH. 


On  the  15th  of  February,  1836,  seven  young  men,  all  na- 
tives of  Pennsylvania,  met  at  a  private  house  to  deliberate  on 
the  expediency  of  forming  a  small  association  for  the  support 
of  public  worship.  They  unanimously  resolved  to  form  such 
an  association. 

Within  a  few  days,  a  room,  corner  of  Eighth  and  Chesnut 
streets,  known  as  " Union  Hall,"  was  provided,  and  pleasantly 
fitted  up  for  the  accommodation  of  about  three  hundred  hearers. 

Public  worship  was  at  once  commenced,  the  Rev.  Samuel 
Washburn,  now  of  Greenfield,  Massachusetts,  occupying  the 
pulpit.  Independently  of  the  Sabbath  School,  which,  with  its 
teachers,  numbered  about  85,  the  audience,  on  the  first  day, 
was  about  fifty. 

On  the  5th  of  May,  1836,  after  much  prayer  and  consulta- 
tion, it  was  unanimously  resolved,  "that  a  Congregational 
Church  be  formed  as  soon  as  practicable."  The  number  of 
hearers  was  now  weekly  increasing. 

A  committee  consisting  of  Messrs.  Washburn,  Denman, 
Thompson  and  Charnley,  immediately  went  to  New  York  to 
consult  with  such  Congregational  ministers  as  might  be  present 
at  the  anniversaries,  and  "whose  reputation  for  sound  judgment 
and  evangelical  piety,  is  high  through  the  churches,"  and  these 
ministers,  "without  a  single  exception,  gave  their  hearty  ap- 
proval of  the  object  in  raising  up,  under  God,  a  Congregational 
Church  in  this  place,  and  pledged  to  the  enterprize  their  co- 
operation and  prayers." 

On  the  7th  of  June,  1836,  an  ecclesiastical  council  convened 
at  Union  Hall,  lo  take  into  consideration  and  act  upon  the 
request  of  certain  brethren  who  were  desirous  of  being  organ- 
ized into  a  Congregational  Church. 


4 


This  Council  consisted  of 

Rev.  Joab  Brace,  Newington,  Connecticut,  Pastor. 
Dea.  Levi  Deming,    do.  do.  Delegate. 

Rev.  John  Todd,  Edwards  Church,  Northampton,  Mass. 
Dea.  James  Hibben,        do.  do.  Delegate. 

Rev.  Samuel  M.  Worcester,  Tabernacle  Church,  Salem, 
Mass. 

Dea.  Samuel  H.  Archer,  do.  do.  Delegate. 

Rev.  Morris  E.  White,  Southampton,  Mass. 

The  council  was  organized  by  choosing  the  Rev.  Mr.  Brace 
Moderator,  and  the  Rev.  Mr.  White,  Scribe,  and  opened  with 
prayer  by  the  Moderator. 

The  Articles  of  Faith,  the  Covenant,  and  the  Rules  of  Dis- 
cipline were  submitted  to  the  council,  examined,  and  with  slight 
modifications,  approved.  It  was  then  voted  unanimously  that 
this  council  proceed  to  organize  these  brethren  into  a  Congre- 
gational Church,  to  be  called  "The  First  Congregational 
Church  of  Philadelphia." 

On  the  evening  of  June  7th,  1836,  the  services  of  organiza- 
tion took  place,  in  the  church  in  Arch  street,  above  Tenth, 
which  had  kindly  been  tendered  for  that  purpose.  The  audi- 
ence was  very  large  and  attentive.  The  services  were  per- 
formed as  follows: 

Introductory  prayer  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  White.  Sermon  by 
Rev.  Mr.  Todd,  from  2  Cor.  iv.  1,  2.  Articles  of  faith  and 
covenant  were  read  to  those  about  to  be  organized  into  a 
church,  by  Rev.  Mr.  Todd.  Fellowship  of  the  churches  by 
Rev.  Mr.  Brace.  Constituting  prayer  by  Mr.  Brace,  and  an 
Address  to  the  church  by  Rev.  Mr.  Worcester. 

The  occasion  was  one  of  deep  interest,  and  will  long  be 
remembered  by  the  twenty  six  individuals  who  were  thus 
constituted  a  Church  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  hardly  less  long,  by 
the  great  audience  who  were  present. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  church,  June  11th,  1836,  after  a  full 
and  free  interchange  of  opinion  on  the  question,  "Is  this 
church  prepared  to  go  into  the  election  of  a  Pastor?"  it  was 
voted  unanimously  in  the  affirmative. 

The  vote  being  taken,  the  Rev.  John  Todd,  of  North- 


5 


ampton,  Massachusetts,  was  unanimously  elected  to  be  the 
Pastor,  and  a  Committee  was  appointed  to  present  the  call. 

A  Committee  was  raised,  July  21,  1836,  called  "the  building 
committee,"  to  make  all  necessary  arrangements  for  the  erec- 
tion of  a  house  of  worship. 

The  Building  Committee  consisted  of  Thomas  Elmes,  M.  B. 
Denman,  D.  W.  Prescott,  Isaac  Thompson,  W.  S.  Charnley, 
H.  D.  Harvey,  and  S.  Martin. 

The  committee  soon  procured  a  lot  as  a  building-site,  on  the 
corner  of  Tenth  and  Clinton  streets,  115  feet  in  front,  and  100 
deep,  at  a  cost  of  $15,500. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  church,  July  30,  1S36,  the  committee 
reported  the  following  letter  from  the  pastor  elect,  and  which 
is  inserted  because  it  exhibits  the  feelings  and  motives  of  the 
parties  concerned. 

"To  the  First  Congregational  Church  and  Society  through 
their  Committee. 

"Dear  Brethren  and  Friends: — A  communication  from  your 
committee,  dated  June  12th,  1S36,  informed  me  that  you  had 
unanimously  elected  me  to  be  your  Pastor  and  Teacher. 
You  will  be  pleased  to  receive  my  grateful  acknowledgments 
for  this  token  of  your  confidence  and  respect.  The  interest 
which  I  felt  in  you  before  receiving  this  unexpected  applica- 
tion, was  deep;  but  since  then  it  has  been  too  deep  and  too 
painful  for  description. 

"You  ask  a  hard  thing  of  me,  my  dear  friends.  You  ask  me 
to  tear  myself  away  from  the  embraces  of  a  most  affectionate, 
united,  and  growing  people,  who  gave  me  their  first  love. 
You  ask  me  to  leave  my  home  at  any  sacrifice — to  take  my 
family  away  among  strangers — to  sunder  all  the  ties  which 
bind  me  to  the  natural  and  moral  loveliness  of  the  land,  where 
the  ashes  of  my  fathers,  and  of  my  own  first-born  sleep — to 
commit  my  character,  the  happiness  of  my  family,  all  I  have 
and  can  have,  to  you — to  go  with  you  into  an  enterprise  which 
is  neither  popular  nor  certain  of  success.  Yes,  you  ask  me  to 
make  as  great  sacrifices  as  I  can  make,  at  the  call  of  man. 

"I  have  looked  calmly  at  the  subject,  and  viewed  it  on  all  its 
sides,  and  I  frankly  own  to  you  I  have  tried  hard  to  reconcile 


6 


my  conscience  to  my  feelings,  and  to  say  to  you,  brethren,  / 
cannot  come.  You  cannot  and  ought  not  to  ask  me  to  come, 
situated  as  I  am.  But  after  weeping  over  it,  and  praying 
over  it,  I  have  not  dared  to  say  so. 

"I do,  therefore,  now,  with  much  trembling  and  great 
heaviness  of  heart,  accept  of  your  kind  invitation,  and  do 
give  myself  away  to  you  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

"You  are  strangers  to  me,  dear  friends,  and  cannot  know  the 
cost  of  this  offering  to  you.  1  now  commit  my  character  as  a 
minister  of  the  Gospel,  and  my  happiness,  it  may  be  for  this 
life,  to  you.  I  commit  the  happiness  of  the  wife  of  my  bosom 
to  you,  and  to  you  I  commit  my  babes,  hoping  and  trusting 
that  you  will  aid  me  in  rearing  them  up  for  heaven.  To  you 
I  make  this  committal  freely,  fully,  unreservedly. 

"You  doubtless  understand  that  I  am  to  look  to  you  to  be- 
come a  church  and  a  people,  united,  active,  humble,  devoted, 
and  ready  for  every  good  word  and  work.  I  shall  not  come 
to  you  as  a  partizan,  or  a  sectarian;  nor  do  I  expect  you  to 
become  a  sectarian  church. 

"Nothing  can  be  more  abhorrent  to  my  feelings  than  a  nar- 
row, bigoted,  jealous  spirit.  I  shall  throw  no  unholy  enclosures 
around  the  church  of  which  I  am  pastor;  nor  shall  1  try  to 
break  through  the  enclosures  which  others  may  see  fit  to  erect 
around  their  altars.  The  great  object  for  which  I  shall  labor, 
and  at  which  I  shall  ask  you  to  aim,  is  to  bring  the  most 
minds  under  the  full  power  of  the  Gospel  in  the  least  possi- 
ble time.  In  other  words,  to  do  most  for  the  salvation  of  men 
while  we  live. 

"We  cannot  know  what  is  before  us;  trials  I  know  there  are. 
I  may  be  called  to  see  you  walk  under  thick  clouds,  and  to 
wade  in  deep  waters.  I  may  be  called  to  stand  by  your  dying 
bed,  and  watch  your  undying  spirit  as  she  goes  into  eternity. 
But  whatever  may  be  before  us,  I  pray  God  to  prepare  us,  and 
sustain  us. 

"You  will  be  called  to  make  great  sacrifices,  but  for  this  I 
trust  you  are  prepared,  and  from  it  will  not  shrink.  'Tis  on  this 
very  principle  that  I  leave  a  people,  dear  as  the  apple  of  the 
eye,  and  come  to  you.    Brethren,  you  will  find  me  a  poor, 


7 


frail,  sinful  man,  having  a  thousand  imperfections  to  be  over- 
looked, and  many  weaknesses  to  be  forgotten.  I  shall  need 
your  co-operation,  your  sympathy,  your  warm  love  and  ardent 
prayers.  I  feel  that  I  shall  have  your  confidence,  your  respect 
and  I  trust,  your  love. 

"I  shall  hope  to  be  with  you  as  early  in  October,  as  the  state 
of  my  family  will  allow.  Let  me  have  your  prayers  daily, 
that  I  may  come  to  you  in  the  fulness  of  the  blessings  of  the 
Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ. 

"In  the  bonds  of  Christian  love, 

u  Yours,  dear  brethren, 
(Signed)  "J.  TODD. 

" Northampton,  Mass.,  July  5th,  1836." 

On  the  18th  of  August,  the  corner  stone  of  the  new  church 
edifice  was  laid  with  prayer,  appropriate  music,  remarks  by  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Blackburn  of  Illinois,  and  an  address  by  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Todd,  pastor  elect. 

An  ecclesiastical  council  was  convened  at  Union  Hall, 
November  16,  1836,  for  the  purpose  of  Installing  the  pastor. 
It  consisted  of 

Rev.  John  Brown,  D.  D.  of  Hadley,  Massachusetts. 

Bro.  Dudley  Smith,  do  do  Delegate. 

Rev.  Joab  Brace,  Nevvington,  Connecticut. 

Bro.  Jeremiah  Seymour,  do  do  Delegate. 

Rev.  Samuel  N.  Shepard,  Madison,  Connecticut. 

Dea.  Benjamin  Hart,  do  do  Delegate. 

Rev.  E.  L.  Cleaveland,  New  Haven,  Connecticut. 

Bro.  Charles  Atwater,  do  do  Delegate. 

Rev.  Edwin  Hall,  Norwalk,  Connecticut. 

Dea.  William  Weeks,    do  do  Delegate. 

Rev.  Thos.  T.  Waterman,  Providence,  R.  I. 

Rev.  M.  E.  White,  Southampton,  Massachusetts. 

The  council  was  organized  by  choosing  the  Rev.  Joab  Brace 
Moderator,  Rev.  M.  E.  White,  and  Rev.  E.  L.  Cleaveland, 
Scribes. 

After  prayer  by  the  Moderator,  documents  were  laid  before 
the  council,  relative  to  the  Christian  and  ministerial  character 
of  the  Rev.  John  Todd,  the  proceedings  of  the  church  and 


8 


society  in  calling  him  to  become  their  pastor,  and  also  his  an- 
swer to  the  call. 

Whereupon  the  council  voted  that  the  papers  were  all 
regular  and  satisfactory. 

The  candidate  was  then  publicly  examined  as  to  his  doctrinal 
views,  Christian  experience,  motives  for  entering  the  ministry 
and  qualifications  for  the  work. 

Voted,  that  this  examination  be  satisfactory,  and  that  this 
council  are  prepared  to  instal  the  pastor  elect. 

On  the  evening  of  November  17th,  1837,  the  services  of 
installation  took  place  in  the  first  Presbyterian  Church,  which 
was  kindly  and  generously  placed  at  our  service,  in  the  pre- 
sence of  a  large  and  intelligent  audience. 

Exercises  as  follows: 

Introductory  prayer,  by  Rev.  Mr.  White. 

Sermon,  by  Rev.  Dr.  Brown,  from  1st.  Tim.  vi.  11,  12. 

Installing  prayer,  Rev.  S.  N.  Shepard. 

Charge  to  the  Pastor,  Rev.  J.  Brace. 

Right  hand  of  fellowship,  Rev.  T.  T.  Waterman. 

Addresses  to  the  people,  Rev.  Edwin  Hall. 

Concluding  prayer,  Rev.  E.  JL.  Cleaveland. 

Benediction,  the  Pastor. 

After  the  installation  of  the  pastor,  the  church  continued  to 
worship  as  before,  in  Union  Hall,  the  church,  the  congregation 
and  the  Sabbath  school,  steadily  and  constantly  increasing,  till 
April  2d,  1837,  when  they  removed  to  the  basement  story  of 
the  new  house  of  worship,  seven  months  after  the  corner  stone 
was  laid.  At  this  time  we  numbered  about  one  hundred 
children  in  the  Sabbath  school. 

Thursday,  the  9th  of  November,  was  spent  as  a  day  of  fasting 
and  prayer,  preparatory  to  the  dedication  of  the  new  church; 
a  day  of  solemn  and  deep  interest. 

The  house  was  solemnly  dedicated  to  Almighty  God,  Father, 
Son  and  Holy  Ghost,  on  the  evening  of  November  11,  1837. 

We  cannot  better  describe  the  occasion,  and  the  house  which 
God  has  permitted  a  few  to  erect  to  his  name,  than  by  insert- 
ing the  account  which  was  written  at  the  time,  by  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Brace. 


9 


"  The  house  of  the  first  Congregational  Church  in  Philadel- 
phia, was  dedicated  on  Saturday  evening,  November  11th,  I 
enjoyed,  in  the  service  and  occasion,  a  high  Christian  entertain- 
ment; and  I  wish  to  communicate  something  of  the  pleasure  to 
all  the  friends  of  the  general  and  holy  church  of  the  living  God. 
Invocation  of  the  God  of  salvation  was  the  first  thought  uttered; 
and  it  seemed  to  be  followed  by  the  presence  of  Christ  and  the 
power  of  the  divine  spirit,  during  the  whole  solemnity.  The 
Selection  of  scripture  was  read,  and  the  dedicatory  prayer  of- 
fered by  the  Rev.  J.  Brace,  of  Connecticut. 

The  sermon  was  by  the  Rev.  John  Todd,  pastor  of  the  church, 
on  the  Principles  and  Results  of  Congregationalism.  The 
preacher  was  plain,  explicit  and  honest,  in  the  statement  of  his 
views;  and  while,  with  a  manly  boldness,  he  testified  his  full 
satisfaction  in  the  system  of  the  Puritan,  he  was  entirely  free  from 
party  spirit.  He  made  no  attack  upon  any  class  of  Christian 
professors — but  he  brought  clearly  to  view,  the  instructions  of 
the  bible  upon  Christian  doctrine  and  church  government,  as 
applicable  to  all  churches  under  the  light  of  the  Gospel.  His 
definition  of  the  church  was  this;  %dn  assembly  of  creatures 
united  in  the  worship  of  God,  according  to  his  express  will; 
— showing  that  the  church  of  God  commenced,  the  first  mo- 
ment rational  beings  were  created.  As  to  forms  of  church 
government,  he  declared  that  he  found  no  specific  constitution 
in  the  holy  scriptures;  and  he  assured  us  that  he  should  have 
no  controversy  with  any  denomination  governed  by  the  general 
principles  of  the  Bible.  The  spirit  of  the  sermon,  so  frank,  so 
candid,  and  evangelical,  poured  through  my  mind  the  pleasure 
and  solemnity  of  the  consciousness  of  being  in  the  house  of 
God,  and  at  the  gate  of  heaven.  The  preacher  was  not  em- 
ployed in  uttering  the  dogmas  of  a  sect,  nor  in  manifesting  the 
zeal  of  a  controvertist — but  as  a  '  workman  that  needeth  not  to 
be  ashamed' — he  stood  as  the  messenger  of  God  filled  and  im- 
pressed with  the  supreme  design  of  glorifying  the  Lord  Jesus 
in  the  salvation  of  souls;  and  he  so  fully  taught  the  doctrine 
and  spirit  of  Christ,  as  might  have  led  every  one  of  us  to 
eternal  life.  The  sermon  by  the  unanimous  wish  of  his  people 
is  to  be  published. 
10 


10 


The  music,  by  an  organ  of  the  first  power,  and  a  full  choir, 
was  grand  and  sublime;  selected  and  prepared  with  great  atten- 
tion, for  an  extraordinary  occasion,  under  the  instruction  of  Mr. 
George  Kingsley,  the  organist,  and  filled  my  soul  with  antici- 
pations of  the  everlasting  song.  The  house  is  large.  It  was 
filled  to  overflowing — two  thousand,  at  the  least.  From  the 
entire  order  and  respectful  attention  of  the  vast  assembly,  for 
more  than  three  hours,  I  judge  that  the  feelings  which  1  have 
described,  were  correspondent  with  the  sentiments  of  the  whole 
congregation. 

The  house  itself  I  did  admire  beyond  my  power  of  describ- 
ing— for  the  ingenuity  and  skill  of  the  architect,  T.  U.  Walter, 
Esq.  (the  architect  of  Girard  College,)  as  seen  in  the  entire  pro- 
portion of  the  building — for  the  neatness  and  elegance  of  the 
various  execution,  without  and  within — and  for  the  enlarged 
and  comprehensive  views  of  Christian  liberality,  in  the  congre- 
gation which  has  erected  such  a  temple  for  the  honor  of  the 
great  Redeemer.*  The  contemplation  of  it  swelled  my  mind 
with  unutterable  emotions  of  reverence  and  delight,  for  the 
honor  of  the  people  upon  the  house  of  God,  and  for  the  pro- 
portionally higher  honor  of  the  soul  unto  the  God  of  the  house. 
It  is  a  noble  edifice,  dedicated  to  the  service  of  Almighty  God 
— one  of  the  most  chaste  and  beautiful  churches,  in  this  or  any 
other  city.  It  stands  in  an  open  place,  corner  of  Tenth  and  Clin- 
ton streets,  and  is  secure  against  the  close  confinement  of  other 
buildings,  a  great  attraction  in  a  high  walled  city.  It  is  sur- 
rounded by  a  fence  of  iron,  enclosing  a  green  and  beautiful  yard 
on  each  side  of  the  house.  The  foundations  are  71  h  feet  in 
front,  and  102  feet  deep.  The  house  rests  on  a  massive  rusti- 
cated basement,  of  12  feet  in  height.  Upon  this  basement  the 
walls  rise  30  feet.  The  large  windows  extending  from  top  to 
bottom,  set  in  their  niches,  and  shaded  with  green — the  broad 
deep  panels  on  the  sides,  with  the  projections  and  cornices  in 
front,  and  massy  foundations  for  the  tower — all  finished  with  a 
granite  cement — together  present  a  figure  that  fills  the  eye  and 

*  It  was  erected  under  the  personal  superintendence  of  Mr.  John  Northrop, 
Jun.,  and  can  hardly  be  exceeded  for  its  stability  and  beauty.  No  ardent  spirit 
was  used,  nor  was  an  oath  heard,  during  its  erection. 


11 


holds  the  attention  of  the  observer.  The  basement  is  divided  in- 
to a  Lecture  room,  Sabbath  school  room,  Committee  room,  and 
Pastor's  study,  respectively  and  completely  furnished  with  ap- 
propriate accommodations;  the  lecture  room  capable  of  seating 
500  persons,  and  beautifully  finished;  the  committee  room  with 
settees  for  SO,  and  a  long  covered  table,  for  the  convenience  of 
the  Sabbath  school  teachers  in  their  weekly  meetings — the  Sab- 
bath school  room  furnished  with  semicircular  backed  seats, 
with  a  teacher's  seat  and  desk  in  every  centre,  equal  to  the 
accommodation  of  400  scholars,  and  their  teachers,  and  a  high 
desk  for  the  superintendent.  The  study  is  23  by  18  feet,  con- 
taining every  arrangement  for  the  minister's  convenience,  and 
connected  with  the  pulpit  by  a  flight  of  stairs.  This  study  is 
dressed  with  the  elegance  of  a  parlor,  and  done  by  the  people. 

The  audience  chamber  is  finished  to  admiration.  Neither 
expense  nor  pains  are  spared,  to  make  it  all  that  you  could  de- 
sire, for  the  accommodation  of  a  worshipping  assembly.  The 
ceiling  overhead  is  done  in  a  superior  style.  The  borderextend- 
ing  round  the  whole  building  is  eight  feet  wide  on  the  sides  and 
east  end,  and  on  the  west  it  covers  the  whole,  to  the  front  of 
the  organ;  containing  36  square  projections,  with  sunken  pa- 
nels, and  a  bold  projecting  cornice,  beautifully  enriched  with 
carved  mouldings  in  the  Grecian  taste.  In  the  centre  above  is 
a  circle,  of  30  feet  in  diameter,  made  of  20  sunken  panels,  with 
a  border  of  egg-mouldings,  and  honey-suckles,  all  encompassing 
a  gilded  fan-light  ventilator,  of  15  feet  in  diameter.  The  interme- 
diate space  is  perfectly  plain,  and  the  whole  work  is  as  smooth  as 
polished  marble. — You  may  form  some  idea  of  the  over-ceiling, 
by  reflecting  that  this  single  work  was  done  at  an  expense  of 
two  thousand  dollars.  It  is  a  decoration  of  the  house,  on  which 
your  eye  would  delight  to  dwell. — The  breast- work  of  the  gal- 
lery is  handsomely  ornamented  with  a  corniceabove — 122  deep 
square  panels  in  the  middle,  with  a  patera  in  the  centre  of 
each — and  an  elaborate  Grecian  fret,  of  about  one  foot  in  width, 
on  the  lower  part. 

The  pulpit  is  made  on  a  plan  entirely  new.  A  platform, 
raised  five  feet  in  height,  is  27  feet  in  length  and  10  feet  in 
width,  on  a  rusticated  basement.    On  the  front  of  this  platform 


12 


is  built  a  rich  mahogany  desk,  of  10  feet  in  length,  with  well 
proportioned  projections  and  deep  panels,  while  the  sides  are 
left  entirely  open.  From  this  platform,  just  behind  the  desk, 
rise  four  Corinthian  columns,  to  the  height  of  IS  feet,  with  an 
anti  pillar  on  each  side,  all  supporting  the  front  wall  of  the  re- 
cess. In  front  of  the  pulpit  is  a  chancel,  or  open  area,  raised 
one  foot  and  four  inches  above  the  floor  ol  the  house,  30  feet  in 
length,  and  6  feet  in  breadth.  The  platform  of  the  pulpit,  and 
the  whole  chancel,  are  covered  with  rich  Wilton  carpeting,  and 
the  aisles  are  all  handsomely  carpeted.  The  house  has  248 
slips,  capable  of  seating  1500  people.  The  slips  below  are 
stuffed  in  the  backs, and  covered  on  both  sides  with  blue  moreen. 

The  organ,  with  its  deep  sounds  that  shake  the  foundations, 
and  its  high  and  clear  notes,  as  soft  as  a  flute,  made  a  very  pleas- 
ing impression  on  me,  heightened  by  the  uncommon  skill  and 
dexterity  of  the  player.  The  cost  of  the  organ,  the  work  of  the 
Messrs.  Hook,  of  Boston,  is  §4,250,  containing  above  1600 
pipes  and  30  stops.  Their  great  attention  to  the  cultivation  of 
sacred  music  must  be  a  strong  attraction  to  a  Christian  temple, 
so  rich  and  beautiful.  I  was  informed  that  the  expense  of  the 
whole  work  of  the  building,  including  the  ground,  was  above 
$60,000. 

I  admired  the  work,  indeed,  and  I  was  cheered  by  the  gene- 
rosity of  the  people;  but  I  felt  at  the  same  time,  that  if  this 
were  the  effect  of  mere  worldly  pride,  it  would  deserve  the 
blasting  of  the  breath  of  God;  and  1  told  them  that  I  considered 
the  house  as  of  no  value,  except  as  consecrated  in  all  its  glory 
and  beauty  to  the  honor  of  Christ  and  the  salvation  of  souls. 
But  when  I  was  at  the  communion  table,  on  the  first  Sabbath 
after  the  dedication,  and  witnessed  the  admission  to  the  church 
of  sixteen  new  members,  and  united  with  five  hundred  fellow 
Christians  of  the  city,  in  celebrating  the  death  of  Christ,  I  felt 
that  God  was  among  them  in  very  deed,  and  that  it  was  good 
to  be  there. 

A  little  more  than  a  year  ago,  I  attended  the  organization  of 
the  church,  in  the  union  of  twenty  six  members.  I  find  evi- 
dence that  the  power  of  the  Divine  Spirit  has  been  upon  this 
people,  during  the  whole  time,  in  the  conviction  and  conver- 


13 


sion  of  souls,  and  in  the  great  readiness  of  this  people  to 
every  good  work.  The  church  has  grown  to  more  than 
four  times  its  original  number,  and  has  received  the  favor  of 
this  city  to  a  degree  exceeding  my  highest  expectations.  As 
evidence  of  this,  I  would  mention  that  pews  to  the  amount  of 
$20,000  were  disposed  of  on  the  first  day,  at  private  sale.  The 
God  of  love  does  appear  to  smile  upon  this  beginning,  and  will, 
I  hope,  make  it  evident  that  this  church  is  not  governed  by 
party  spirit  in  religion,  but  is  laboring  only  for  the  salvation 
of  souls  in  the  pure  doctrine  and  spirit  of  Christ;  thus  exhibit- 
ing a  fair  specimen  of  the  Puritan,  evangelical  churches  of  New 
England;  a  church  ready  to  co-operate  with  all  the  Christian 
churches  of  this  city  in  advancing  the  prosperity  of  the  Re- 
deemer's kingdom. 

I  will  only  add,  that  the  entire  harmony,  affection  and  con- 
fidence, subsisting  between  the  Pastor  and  the  church  and 
people,  afford  an  encouraging  promise  that  the  beauty  of  the 
Lord  our  God  will  be  upon  this  people,  and  that  his  blessing 
will  be  upon  them,  even  life  for  evermore.  All  these  things 
are  under  the  testimony  of  an  eye  witness  and  careful 

OBSERVER. 

At  the  time  of  the  dedication,  the  Sabbath  School  had  in- 
creased to  325  scholars,  and  50  teachers,  and  the  church  to  the 
annexed  catalogue. 

At  every  step,  we  have  been  upheld  by  the  hand,  and  guided 
by  the  eye  of  the  Lord.  May  his  hand  and  his  eye  ever 
help  us. 

Prospered  far  beyond  our  most  sanguine  expectations  and 
hopes,  may  we  not  be  left  to  pride,  to  vanity,  to  stupidity,  nor 
to  an  ungrateful  heart. 

Philadelphia,  December  20,  1837. 


THE 

CONFESSION  OF  FAITH, 

COVENANT, 

AND 

PRINCIPLES  OF  DISCIPLINE  AND  PRACTICE, 

OF  THE 
IN 

i 

PHILADELPHIA. 


CONFESSION  OF  FAITH, 
ACCOMPANIED  BY  SCRIPTURE  PROOFS. 


FORM  OF  ADMISSION. 


ADDRESS. 

Beloved  Friends: — You  have  presented  yourselves 
before  God,  and  his  people,  and  the  world,  to  make 
a  solemn  confession  of  your  religious  faith,  and  to 
take  upon  you  everlasting  obligations.  We  trust  you 
have  duly  considered  the  nature  of  the  profession 
you  are  about  to  make,  and  of  the  engagements  into 
which  you  are  about  to  enter.  They  will  be  heard 
on  high,  and  will  be  exhibited  on  your  trial  at  the 
last  day. 

Yet  be  not  overwhelmed.  If  you  are  sincerely 
desirous  to  be  the  Lord's — to  believe  all  his  declara- 
tions, and  to  obey  all  his  commands,  he  will  compas- 
sionate your  weakness — will  make  you  wise  by 
his  wisdom,  and  strong  by  his  power,  and  will  con- 
duct you  safe  to  his  heavenly  kingdom. 

Having  examined  and  assented  to  the  Articles  of 

Faith  adopted  by  this  Church,  you  will  now  profess 

the  same  before  these  witnesses. 
11 


CONFESSION 


OF  FAITH. 


We  believe  there  is  but  one  God,  the  Creator, 
Preserver,  and  Governor  of  the  universe;  a  Being 
self-existent,  independent,  and  immutable;  infinite  in 
power,  knowledge,  wisdom,  holiness,  justice,  goodness, 
and  truth. 

I  am  the  Lord,  and  there  is  none  else;  there  is  no  God  besides  me.  The 
Lord  is  the  true  God,  he  is  the  living  God.  God  is  a  spirit.  And  God  said 
unto  Moses,  I  Am  that  I  Am.  The  eternal  God  is  thy  refuge.  I  am  the  Lord, 
I  change  not  Do  not  I  fill  heaven  and  earth?  saith  the  Lord.  Known  unto 
God  are  all  his  works  from  the  beginning  of  the  world.  The  Lord  God  omnipo- 
tent reigneth.  One  God  and  Father  of  all,  who  is  above  all,  and  through  all, 
and  in  you  all.  Thou  art  good  and  doest  good.  To  God  only  wise,  be  glory 
through  Jesus  Christ  forever.  Holy,  holy,  holy  is  the  Lord  of  hosts.  Righteous 
art  thou,  O  Lord!  and  upright  are  thy  judgments.  The  Lord  is  gracious  and 
full  of  compassion.  Thy  counsels  of  old  are  faithfulness  and  truth.  Is.  45.  5- 
Jer.  10.  10.  John  4.  24.  Ex.  3.  14.  Deut.  33.  27.  Mai.  3.  6.  Jer.  23.  24. 
Acts  15.  18.  Rev.  19.  6.  Eph.  4.  6.  Ps.  119.  68.  Rom.  16.  27.  Is.  6.  3. 
Ps.  119.  137.    Ps.  145.  8.    Is.  25.  1. 

We  believe  that  the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New 
Testament  were  given  by  inspiration  of  God;  that 
they  contain  a  complete  and  harmonious  system  of 
divine  truth;  and  are  the  only  and  sufficient  rule  of 
doctrinal  belief  and  religious  practice. 

All  Scripture  is  given  by  inspiration  of  God.  For  the  prophecy  came  not  in 
old  time  by  the  will  of  man;  but  holy  men  of  God  spake  as  they  were  moved  by 
the  Holy  Ghost.  Which  things  also  we  speak,  not  in  the  words  which  man's 
wisdom  teacheth,  but  which  the  Holy  Ghost  teacheth.    But  I  certify  you, 


19 


brethren,  that  the  gospel  which  was  preached  of  me  is  not  after  man.  For  I 
neither  received  it  of  man,  neither  was  I  taught  it,  but  by  the  revelation  of 
Jesus  Christ.  Ye  do  err,  not  knowing  the  Scriptures.  To  the  law,  and  to  the 
testimony;  if  they  speak  not  according  to  this  word,  it  is  because  there  is  no  light 
in  them.  But  though  we,  or  an  angel  fr«m  heaven,  preach  any  other  gospel  unto 
you  than  that  which  we  have  preached  unto  you,  let  him  be  accursed.  For  I 
testify  unto  every  man  that  heareth  the  words  of  the  prophecy  of  this  book,  If 
any  man  shall  add  unto  these  things,  God  shall  add  unto  him  the  plagues  that  are 
written  in  this  book:  and  if  any  man  shall  take  away  from  the  words  of  the  book 
of  this  prophecy,  God  shall  take  away  his  part  out  of  the  book  of  life,  and  out  of 
the  holy  city,  and  from  the  things  which  are  written  in  this  book.  2  Tim.  3. 
16.  2  Pet.  1.21.  1  Cor.  2. 13.  Gal.  1.  11,  12.  Matt  22.  29.  Is.  8.  20.  Gal.  1. 
8.    Rev.  22.  18,  19. 

We  believe  that  God  is  revealed  in  the  Scriptures 
as  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost;  and  that 
this  distinction  is  perfectly  consistent  with  the  unity  of 
the  Godhead,  and  that  these  three  are  one,  and  in  all 
divine  attributes,  equal. 

For  there  are  three  that  bear  record  in  heaven,  the  Father,  the  Word,  and  the 
Holy  Ghost;  and  these  three  are  one.  Go  ye,  therefore,  and  teach  all  nations, 
baptizing  them  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  The  grace  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  love  of  God,  and  the  com- 
munion  of  the  Holy  Ghost  be  with  you  all.  The  Lord  direct  your  hearts  into 
the  love  of  God,  and  into  the  patient  waiting  for  Christ.  Elect  according  to  the 
fore-knowledge  of  God  the  Father,  through  sanctification  of  the  Spirit,  unto 
obedience  and  sprinkling  of  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ.  And  God  said,  Let  us 
make  man  in  our  image  after  our  likeness.  Who,  being  in  the  form  of  God, 
thought  it  not  robbery  to  be  equal  with  God.  For  unto  us  a  child  is  born,  unto 
us  a  son  is  given,  and  the  government  shall  be  upon  his  shoulder,  and  his  name 
shall  be  called  Wonderful,  Counsellor,  the  mighty  God,  the  everlasting  Father, 
the  Prince  of  peace.  In  the  beginning  was  the  Word  and  the  Word  was  with  God 
and  the  Word  was  God.  I  and  my  fiithcr  are  one.  And  Thomas  answered,  and 
said  unto  him,  my  Lord  and  my  God.  But  unto  the  Son,  he  saith,  Thy  throne,  O 
God,  is  forever  and  ever;  a  sceptre  of  righteousness  is  the  sceptre  of  thy  kingdom. 
This  is  the  true  God  and  eternal  life.  Whose  are  the  Fathers,  and  of  whom  as 
concerning  the  flesh  Christ  came,  who  is  over  all,  God  blessed  forever.  I  am 
Alpha  and  Omega,  the  beginning  and  the  ending,  saith  the  Lord,  which  is,  and 
which  was,  and  which  is  to  come,  the  Almighty.  Jesus  Christ  the  same  yester- 
day and  to  day  and  forever.  For  where  two  or  three  are  gathered  together  in 
my  name,  there  am  I  in  the  midst  of  them.  And  he  said  unto  him,  Lord  thou 
knowest  all  things,  thou  knowest  that  I  love  thee.  For  by  him  were  all  things 
created  that  arc  in  heaven  and  that  are  in  earth,  visible  and  invisible,  whether 


20 


they  be  thrones,  or  dominions,  or  principalities,  or  powers;  all  things  were  created 
by  him,  and  for  him;  and  he  is  before  all  things,  and  by  him  all  things  consist. 
And  he  commandeth  us  to  preach  unto  the  people  and  to  testify  that  it  is  he, 
which  was  ordained  of  God  to  be  the  judge  of  quick  and  dead.  That  all 
men  should  honor  the  Son  even  as  they  honor  the  Father.  And  again,  when 
he  bringeth  in  the  first  begotten  into  the  world,  he  saith,  And  let  all  the  angels 
of  God  worship  him.  And  every  creature  which  is  in  heaven,  and  on  the  earth, 
and  under  the  earth,  and  such  as  are  in  the  sea,  and  all  that  are  in  them,  heard  I 
saying,  Blessing  and  honor,  and  glory,  and  power,  be  unto  him  that  sitteth  upon 
the  throne,  and  unto  the  Lamb  for  ever  and  ever.  And  they  stoned  Stephen, 
calling  upon  God,  and  saying,  Lord  Jesus,  receive  my  spirit.  But  Peter  said, 
Ananias,  why  hath  Satan  filled  thy  heart  to  lie  to  the  Holy  Ghost?  Thou  hast 
not  lied  unto  man,  but  unto  God.  Except  a  man  be  born  of  water,  and  of  the 
Spirit,  he  cannot  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God.  Which  were  born  not  of  blood 
nor  of  the  will  of  the  flesh,  nor  of  the  will  of  man,  but  of  God.  All  scripture  is 
given  by  inspiration  of  God.  Holy  men  of  God  spake  as  they  were  moved  by 
the  Holy  Ghost.  Know  ye  not  that  ye  are  the  temple  of  God,  and  that  the 
spirit  of  God  dwelleth  in  you?  What!  know  ye  not  that  your  body  is  the  temple 
of  the  Holy  Ghost  which  is  in  you?  Howbeit  when  he  the  Spirit  of  truth  is 
come,  he  will  guide  you  into  all  truth.  For  the  Holy  Ghost  shall  teach  you  in  the 
same  hour  what  ye  ought  to  say.  And  the  Holy  Ghost  descended  in  a  bodily  shape 
like  a  dove  upon  him.  For  the  spirit  searcheth  all  things,  yea,  the  deep  things  of 
God.  Whither  shall  I  go  from  thy  Spirit?  The  Spirit  of  God  hath  made  me. 
By  his  Spirit  he  garnished  the  heavens.  Elsewhere  the  Holy  Ghost  is  called 
the  eternal  Spirit,  the  Spirit  of  Wisdom  and  knowledge,  the  Spirit  of  promise, 
the  Spirit  of  power,  the  Spirit  of  holiness,  and  the  Holy  Spirit.  1  John  5. 
7.  Matt.  28.  19.  2  Cor.  13,  14.  2  Thess.  3.  5.  1  Pet.  1,  2.  Gen.  1. 
26.  Phil.  2.  6.  Is.  9.  6.  John  1.1.  John  10.  30.  John  20.  38.  Heb.  1.  8. 
1  John  5.  20.  Rom.  9.  5.  Rev.  1.  8.  Heb.  13.  8.  Matt.  18.  20.  John  21. 17. 
Col.  1.16.  17.  Acts.  10.  42.  John  5.  23.  Heb.  1.  6.  Rev.  5.  13.  Acts  7.  59. 
Acts  5.  3,  4.  John  3.  5.  John  1.  13.  2  Tim.  3.  16.  2  Pet.  1.  21.  1  Cor.  3. 
16.  1  Cor.  6.  19.  John  16. 13.  Luke  12.  12.  Luke  3.22.  1  Cor.  2.  10.  Ps. 
139.  7.  Job.  26.  13.   Job.  33.  4. 

We  believe  that  God  made  all  things  for  himself; 
that  known  unto  Him  are  all  His  works  from  the  begin- 
ning; that  He  governs  all  things  according  to  the 
counsel  of  his  own  will;  and  that  the  principles  and 
administration  of  His  government  are  perfectly  wise, 
holy,  just  and  good. 

Thou  art  worthy,  O  Lord,  to  receive  glory,  and  honor,  and  power,  for  thou 
hast  created  all  things,  and  for  thy  pleasure  they  are  and  were  created.    For  of 


21 


him,  and  through  him,  and  to  him  are  all  things,  to  whom  be  glory  forever. 
Whether,  therefore,  ye  eat,  or  drink,  or  whatsoever  ye  do,  do  all  to  the  glory  of 
God.  The  Lord  hath  made  all  things  for  himself;  yea,  even  the  wicked  for  the 
day  of  evil.  Declaring  the  end  from  the  beginning,  and  from  ancient  times  the 
things  that  arc  not  yet  done,  saying,  My  counsel  shall  stand,  and  I  will  do  all  my 
pleasure.  According  as  he  hath  chosen  us  in  him  before  the  foundation  of  the 
world,  that  we  should  be  holy  and  without  blame  before  him  in  love.  Having 
predestinated  us  unto  the  adoption  of  children  by  Jesus  Christ  to  himself  accord- 
ing to  the  good  pleasure  of  his  will.  To  the  praise  of  the  glory  of  his  grace, 
wherein  he  hath  made  us  accepted  in  the  Beloved.  Having  made  known  unto 
us  the  mystery  of  his  will,  according  to  his  good  pleasure,  which  he  hath  pur- 
posed in  himself.  In  whom  also  we  have  obtained  an  inheritance,  being  predes- 
tinated according  to  the  purpose  of  him  who  worketh  all  things  after  the  counsel 
of  his  own  will.  And  hath  made  of  one  blood^all  nations  of  men  for  to  dwell  on  all 
the  face  of  the  earth,  and  hath  determined  the  times  before  appointed  and  the 
bounds  of  their  habitation.  Seeing  his  days  are  determined,  the  number  of  his 
months  are  with  thee,  thou  hast  appointed  his  bounds  that  he  cannot  pass.  And 
truly  the  Son  of  man  goeth  as  it  was  determined,  but  wo  unto  that  man  by  whom 
he  is  betrayed.  Him,  being  delivered,  by  the  determinate  counsel  and  fore- 
knowledge of  God,  ye  have  taken,  and  by  wicked  hands  have  crucified  and  slain. 
For  of  a  truth  against  the  holy  child  Jesus,  whom  thou  hast  anointed,  both 
Herod  and  Pontius  Pilate,  with  the  Gentiles,  and  the  people  of  Israel,  were 
gathered  together,  for  to  do  whatsoever  thy  hand  and  thy  counsel  determined  be- 
fore to  be  done.  Rev.  4.  11.  Rom.  11.  36.  1  Cor.  10.  31.  Prov.  16.  4.  Is.  46.  10. 
Eph.  1.  4,  6,  9,  11.  Acts  17.  26.  Job  14.  5.  Luke  22.  22.  Acts  2.  23.  Acts 
4.  27,  28. 

We  believe  that  our  first  parents  were  created  holy 
— in  the  image  of  God;  that  they  fell  from  this  state 
of  holiness  by  voluntarily  transgressing  the  divine 
command;  and  that  in  consequence  of  their  apostacy 
from  God,  the  heart  of  man  until  renewed  by  grace, 
is  destitute  of  holiness,  and  alienated  from  God. 

And  God  said,  Let  us  make  man  in  our  image,  after  our  likeness.  So  God 
created  man  in  his  own  image,  in  the  image  of  God  created  he  him.  Lo,  this 
only  have  I  found,  that  God  hath  made  man  upright;  but.  they  have  sought 
out  many  inventions.  Wherefore,  as  by  one  man  sin  entered  into  the  world,  and 
death  by  sin;  and  so  death  passed  upon  all  men,  for  that  all  have  sinned.  By 
the  offence  of  one,  judgment  came  upon  all  men  to  condemnation.  By  one 
man's  disobedience,  many  were  made  sinners.  And  you  hath  he  quickened  who 
were  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins.  But  I  know  you  that  ye  have  not  the  love  of 
God  in  you.    For  I  know  that  in  me,  (that  is  in  my  flesh,)  dwellcth  no  good 


22 


thing.  Because  the  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God;  for  it  is  not  subject  to 
the  law  of  God,  neither  indeed  can  be.  So  then,  they  that  are  in  the  flesh  can- 
not please  God.  The  heart  is  deceitful  above  all  things  and  desperately  wicked 
who  can  know  it?  And  God  saw  that  the  wickedness  of  man  was  great  in  the 
earth,  and  that  every  imagination  of  the  thoughts  of  his  heart  was  only  evil  con- 
tinually. What  then?  are  we  better  than  they?  No,  in  no  wise;  for  we  have 
before  proved  both  Jews  and  Gentiles,  that  they  are  all  under  sin.  As  it  is 
written,  There  is  none  righteous,  no,  not  one.  There  is  none  that  understandeth, 
there  is  none  that  seeketh  after  God.  They  are  all  gone  out  of  the  way,  they  are  to- 
gether become  unprofitable;  there  is  none  that  doeth  good,  no,  not  one.  Behold  I 
was  shapen  in  iniquity;  and  in  sin  did  my  mother  conceive  me.  Who  can  bring 
a  clean  thing  out  of  an  unclean?  not  one.  What  is  man  that  he  should  be  clean? 
and  he  which  is  bom  of  a  woman,  that  he  should  be  righteous?  That  which  is 
born  of  the  flesh  is  flesh,  and  that  which  is  born  of  the  Spirit  is  spirit.  For  the 
imagination  of  man's  heart  is  evil  from  his  youth.  The  wicked  are  estranged 
from  the  womb;  they  go  astray  as  soon  as  they  be  born,  speaking  lies.  Fool- 
ishness is  bound  in  the  heart  of  a  child.  For  I  knew  that  thou  wouldst  deal  very 
treacherously,  and  wast  called  a  transgressor  from  the  womb.  And  were  by 
nature  the  children  of  wrath,  even  as  others.  Cursed  is  every  one  that  continueth 
not  in  all  things  which  are  written  in  the  book  of  the  law  to  do  them.  The  soul 
that  sinneth,  it  shall  die.  The  wages  of  sin  is  death.  And  these  shall  go  away 
into  everlasting  punishment.  Gen.  1.  26,  27.  Eccl.  7.  29.  Rom.  5.  12.  18,  19. 
Eph.  2.  1.  John  5.  42.  Rom.  7. 18.  and  8.  7,  8.  Jer.  17.9.  Gen.  6.  5.  Rom. 
3.9—12.  Ps.  51.  5.  Job  13.  4.  Job.  15.  14.  John  4.  6.  Gen.  8. 21.  Ps.  58. 
3.  Prov.  22.  15.  Is.  48.  8.  Eph.  2.  3.  Gal.  3.  10.  Ezek.  18.  4.  Rom.  6.23. 
Matt.  25.  46. 

We  believe  that  Christ,  as  God  manifest  in  the  flesh, 
became  the  one  Mediator  between  God  and  man;  that 
by  his  obedience,  sufferings  and  death  he  has  made  a 
proper  and  adequate  atonement  for  sin;  that  he  is  the 
only  Redeemer  of  sinners;  and  that  whosoever  will, 
may  be  saved:  yet  that  such  is  the  aversion  of  men  to 
holiness,  that  all  men  will  refuse  to  come  to  Christ, 
unless  God,  by  the  special  influences  of  his  Spirit,  draw 
them. 

In  the  beginning  was  the  Word,  and  the  Word  was  with  God,  and  the  Word 
was  God.  And  the  word  was  made  flesh,  and  dwelt  among  us.  Who  being  in 
the  form  of  God,  thought  it  not  robbery  to  be  equal  with  God;  but  made  himself 
of  no  reputation,  and  took  upon  him  the  form  of  a  servant,  and  was  made  in  the 
likeness  of  men.  For  in  him  dvvelleth  all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead  bodily.  Be- 


23 


hold  a  virgin  shall  be  with  child,  and  shall  bring  forth  a  Son  and  they  shall  call 
his  name  lmmanuel,  which,  being  interpreted,  is,  God  with  us.  And  without 
controversy,  great  is  the  mystery  of  godliness;  God  was  manifest  in  the  flesh 
justified  in  the  Spirit,  seen  of  angels,  preached  unto  the  Gentiles,  believed  on  in 
the  world,  received  up  into  glory.  The  Jews  answered  him  saying,  For  a  good 
work  we  stone  thee  not,  but  for  blasphemy  and  because  that  thou,  being  a  man, 
makest  thyself  God.  But  ye  are  come — To  Jesus  the  Mediator  of  the  new 
covenant.  Jesus  saith  unto  him,  I  am  the  way,  and  the  truth,  and  the  life;  no 
man  cometh  unto  the  Father,  but  by  me.  Neither  is  there  salvation  in  any  other, 
for  there  is  none  other  name  under  heaven  given  among  men,  whereby  we  must 
be  saved.  This  is  a  faithful  saying  and  worthy  of  all  acceptation,  that  Christ 
Jesus  came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners.  Thus  it  is  written,  and  thus  it  be- 
hoved Christ  to  suffer,  and  to  rise  from  the  dead  the  third  day:  And  that  repent- 
ance and  remission  of  sins  should  be  preached  in  his  name  among  all  nations. 
For  this  is  my  blood  of  the  New  Testament,  which  is  shed  for  many  for  the  re- 
mission of  sins.  Without  shedding  of  blood  is  no  remission.  And  if  any  man 
sin  wre  have  an  Advocate  with  the  Father,  Jesus  Christ  the  righteous:  And  he 
is  the  propitiation  for  our  sins;  and  not  for  ours  only,  but  also  for  the  sins  of  the 
whole  world.  Ye  were  not  redeemed  with  corruptible  things,  as  silver  and  gold, 
from  your  vain  conversation  received  by  tradition  from  your  fathers;  but  with 
the  precious  blood  of  Christ,  as  of  a  lamb  without  blemish  and  without  spot;  who 
verily  was  foreordained  before  the  foundation  of  the  world.  While  we  were  yet 
sinners  Christ  died  for  us.  Thou  wast  slain  and  hast  redeemed  us  to  God  by 
thy  blood,  out  of  every  kindred,  and  tongue,  and  people,  and  nation.  The  Lord 
is  well  pleased  for  his  righteousness  sake:  he  will  magnify  the  law  and  make  it 
honorable.  Whom  God  hath  set  forth  to  be  a  propitiation  through  faith  in  his 
blood,  to  declare  his  righteousness,  for  the  remission  of  sins  that  are  past,  through 
the  forbearance  of  God,  to  declare,  I  say  at  this  time,  his  righteousness,  that  he 
might  be  just,  and  the  justifier  of  him  which  believeth  in  Jesus.  For  God  so 
loved  the  world  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in 
him  should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life.  Jesus  answered  and  said  unto 
him,  Verily,-verily,  I  say  unto  thee,  except  a  man  be  born  again,  he  cannot  see 
the  kingdom  of  God.  Follow  peace  with  all  men;  and  holiness,  without  which 
no  man  shall  see  the  Lord.  For  in  Christ  Jesus  neither  circumcision  availeth 
any  thing,  nor  uncircumcision,  but  a  new  creature.  Because  the  carnal  mind 
is  enmity  against  God;  for  it  is  not  subject  to  the  law  of  God,  neither  indeed  can 
be.  So  then  they  that  are  in  the  flesh  cannot  please  God.  But  the  natural  man 
receiveth  not  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  for  they  are  foolishness  unto  him, 
neither  can  he  know  them,  because  they  are  spiritually  discerned.  A  new  heart 
also  will  I  give  you,  and  a  new  spirit  will  I  put  within  you;  and  I  will  take  away 
the  stony  heart  out  of  your  flesh,  and  I  will  give  you  an  heart  of  flesh.  Which 
were  born,  not  of  blood,  nor  of  the  will  of  the  flesh,  nor  of  the  will  of  man,  but  of 
God.  Not  by  works  of  righteousness,  which  we  have  done,  but  according  to  his 
mercy  he  saved  us,  by  the  washing  of  regeneration  and  renewing  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  They  went  out  from  us,  but  they  were  not  of  us,  for  if  they  had  been  of  us, 
they  would  no  doubt  have  continued  with  us;  but  they  went  out  that  they  might 
be  made  manifest,  that  they  were  not  all  of  us.  For  I  am  persuaded,  that  neither 


24 


death,  nor  life,  nor  angels,  nor  principalities,  nor  powers,  nor  things  present,  nor 
things  to  come,  nor  height,  nor  depth,  nor  any  other  creature,  shall  be  able  to 
separate  us  from  the  love  of  God  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord.   Being  con- 
fident of  this  very  thing,  that  he  which  hath  begun  a  good  work  in  you,  will  per- 
form  it  until  the  day  of  Jesus  Christ.    And  this  is  the  Father's  will  which  hath 
sent  me,  that  of  all  which  he  hath  given  me,  I  should  lose  nothing,  but  should 
raise  it  up  again  at  the  last  day.    My  sheep  hear  my  voice,  and  I  know  them; 
and  they  follow  me.    And  I  give  unto  them  eternal  life;  and  they  shall  never 
perish,  neither  shall  any  man  pluck  them  out  of  my  hand.    My  Father  which 
gave  them  me  is  greater  than  all,  and  none  is  able  to  pluck  them  out  of  my  Fa- 
ther's hand.  The  steps  of  a  good  man  are  ordered  by  the  Lord;  and  he  delighteth 
in  his  way.    Though  he  fall  he  shall  not  be  utterly  cast  down;  for  the  Lord  up- 
holdcth  him  with  his  hand.    The  righteous  also  shall  hold  on  his  way,  and  he 
that  hath  clean  hands  shall  be  stronger  and  stronger.    Moreover  whom  he  did 
predestinate,  them  he  also  called,  and  whom  he  called  them  he  also  justified;  and 
whom  he  justified,  them  he  also  glorified.    But  the  path  of  the  just  is  as  the 
shining  light  that  shincth  more  and  more  unto  the  perfect  day.     John  1.  1,  14. 
Phil.  2.  6,  7.    Col.  2.  9.    Matt.  1.  23.    1  Tim.  3.  16.  John  10.  33.  Hcb.  12. 22, 
24.    John  14.  6.    Acts  4.  12.   1  Tim.  1.  15.    Luke  24.  46,  47.    Matt.  26.  28. 
Heb.  9.  22.    1  John  2.  1,  2.    1  Pet.  1.  18—20.  Rom.  5.  8.  Rev.  5.  9.  Is.  42.  21. 
Rom.  3.  25,  26.  John  3.  16.  John  3.  3.  Heb.  12,  14.  Gal.  6.  15.  Rom.  8.  7,  8.  1 
Cor.  2.  14.  Ezek.  36.  26.   John  1.  13.  Tit.  3.5.  1  John  2.  19.    Rom.  8.  38,  39. 
Phil.  1.  6.    John  6.  39.    John  10.  27—29.  Psalms  37.  23,  24.  Job  17.  9.  Rom. 
8.  30.  Prov.  4.  18. 

We  believe  that  those  who  are  saved,  were  chosen  in 
Christ  before  the  foundation  of  the  world,  that  they 
should  be  holy  and  without  blame  before  him  in  love; 
that  they  are  saved,  not  by  works  of  righteousness 
which  they  have  done,  but  through  the  sovereign  mer- 
cy  of  God,  by  regeneration,  repentance,  and  faith  in 
Jesus  Christ;  and  that  those  who  are  born  of  God  are 
justified  freely  by  his  grace  through  the  redemption  that 
is  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  are  kept  by  the  power  of  God, 
through  faith,  unto  eternal  life. 

For  whom  he  did  foreknow  he  also  did  predestinate  to  be  conformed  to  the 
image  of  his  son,  that  He  might  be  the  first-born  among  many  brethren.  More- 
over, whom  he  did  predestinate,  them  he  also  called;  and  whom  he  called,  them 
he  alsojustified;  and  whom  he  justified,  them  he  also  glorified.  My  sheep  hear 
my  voice,  and  I  know  them,  and  they  follow  me;  and  I  give  unto  them  eternal 


25 


life;  and  they  shall  never  perish,  neither  shall  any  pluck  them  out  of  my  hand. 
For  I  am  persuaded  that  neither  death,  nor  life,  nor  angels,  nor  principalities,  nor 
powers,  nor  things  present,  nor  things  to  come,  nor  height,  nor  depth,  nor  any 
other  creature,  shall  be  able  to  separate  us  from  the  love  of  God  which  is  in 
Christ  Jesus  our  Lord.  And  when  the  Gentiles  heard,  they  were  glad,  and  glori- 
fied the  word  of  the  Lord:  and  as  many  as  were  ordained  to  eternal  life,  believed. 
According  as  he  hath  chosen  us  in  him,  before  the  foundation  of  the  world,  that 
we  should  be  holy  and  without  blame  before  him  in  love.  Having  predestinated 
us  unto  the  adoption  of  children  by  Jesus  Christ  to  himself  according  to  the  good 
pleasure  of  his  will.  In  whom  also  we  have  obtained  an  inheritance,  being  pre- 
destinated according  to  the  purpose  of  him  who  worketh  all  things  after  the 
counsel  of  his  own  will.  Who  hath  saved  us,  and  called  us  with  a  holy  calling 
— not  according  to  our  works,  but  according  to  his  own  purpose  and  grace, 
which  was  given  us  in  Christ  Jesus  before  the  world  began.  Therefore  being 
justified  by  faith,  we  have  peace  with  God  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  What 
shall  we  then  say  to  these  things?  If  God  be  for  us,  who  can  be  against  us? 
Being  confident  of  this  very  thing — that  He  which  hath  begun  a  good  work  in 
you,  will  perform  it  until  the  day  of  Jesus  Christ.  Isa.  53.  10.  John  10.  27 — 
29,  and  17,  6,  9,  11,24.  Rom.  8.  29—39.  Acts  13.  48.  Rom.  9.  11.  and  11.  5,  7. 
Eph,  1,  4.5,  11.  2  Thess.  2.  13.  2  Tim.  1.  9.  1  Pet.  1.  2.  Eph.  2.  8.  9, 10.  and  3. 
11.  Gal.  2.  16.  Ezek.  36.  26.  Tit.  3.  5—7.  Rom.  3.  20,  24,28.  and  5.  1.  and  8.  1. 
John  5.  24.  Phil.  1.  6. 

We  believe  that  there  will  be  a  general  resurrection 
of  the  bodies,  both  of  the  just  and  unjust;  that  all  man- 
kind must  one  day  stand  before  the  judgment-seat  of 
Christ,  to  receive  a  just  and  final  sentence  of  retribu- 
tion according  to  the  deeds  done  here  in  the  body;  and 
that  the  reward  bestowed  on  the  righteous,  and  the 
punishment  inflicted  on  the  wicked,  will  be,  alike, 
eternal. 

And  as  it  is  appointed  unto  men  once  to  die,  but  after  this  the  judgment. 
Then  shall  the  dust  return  to  the  earth  as  it  was;  and  the  spirit  shall  return  unto 
God  who  gave  it.  In  a  moment,  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  at  the  last  trump; 
for  the  trumpet  shall  sound,  and  the  dead  shall  be  raised  incorruptible,  and  wre 
shall  be  changed.  Marvel  not  at  this;  for  the  hour  is  coming,  in  the  which  all 
that  are  in  the  graves  shall  hear  his  voice,  and  shall  come  forth,  they  that  have 
done  good  unto  the  resurrection  of  life;  and  they  that  have  done  evil  unto  the  re- 
surrection of  damnation.  And  have  hope  toward  God,  which  they  themselves 
also  allow,  that  there  shall  be  a  resurrection  of  the  dead,  both  of  the  just  and  un- 
just. When  the  Son  of  man  shall  come  in  his  glory,  and  all  the  holy  angels  with 
him,  then  shall  he  sit  upon  the  throne  of  his  glory.  And  before  him  shall  be  ga- 
12 


26 


thered  all  nations;  and  he  shall  separate  them  one  from  another,  as  a  shepherd 
divideth  his  sheep  from  the  goats.  And  he  shall  set  the  sheep  on  his  right  hand, 
but  the  goats  on  the  left.  We  shall  all  stand  before  the  judgment  seat  of  Christ. 
So  then  every  one  of  us  shall  give  account  of  himself  to  God.  For  we  must  all 
appear  before  the  judgment  seat  of  Christ,  that  every  one  may  receive  the  things 
done  in  the  body  according  to  that  he  hath  done,  whether  it  be  good  or  bad.  For 
God  shall  bring  every  work  into  judgment  with  every  secret  thing,  whether  it  be 
good  or  whether  it  be  evil.  But  I  say  unto  you,  that  every  idle  word,  that  men 
shall  speak,  they  shall  give  account  thereof  in  the  day  of  judgment.  Then  shall 
the  King  say  unto  them  on  his  right  hand,  Come,  ye  blessed  of  my  Father,  in- 
herit the  kingdom  prepared  for  you  from  the  foundation  of  the  world.  Then  shall 
he  say  also  unto  them  on  the  left  hand,  Depart  from  me,  ye  cursed,  into  everlast- 
ing fire  prepared  for  the  devil  and  his  angels.  And  these  shall  go  away  into 
everlasting  punishment,  but  the  righteous  into  life  eternal.  Blessed  are  the  dead 
which  die  in  the  Lord  from  henceforth;  yea,  saith  the  Spirit,  that  they  may  rest 
from  their  labors;  and  their  works  do  follow  them.  Who  shall  be  punished  with 
everlasting  destruction  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  and  from  the  glory  of  his 
power.  And  the  smoke  of  their  torment  ascendeth  up  forever  and  ever,  and  they 
have  no  rest  day  nor  night,  who  worship  the  beast,  and  his  image,  and  whoso- 
ever receiveth  the  mark  of  his  name.  And  many  of  them  that  sleep  in  the  dust 
of  the  earth,  shall  awake,  some  to  everlasting  life,  and  some  to  shame  and  ever- 
lasting contempt.  But  he  that  shall  blaspheme  against  the  Holy  Ghost,  hath 
never  forgiveness,  but  is  in  danger  of  eternal  damnation.  The  Son  of  man  goeth 
as  it  is  written  of  him,  but  wo  unto  that  man,  by  whom  the  Son  of  man  is  be- 
trayed! it  had  been  good  for  that  man  if  he  had  not  been  born.  Heb.  9.  27.  Eccl. 
12. 7.  1  Cor.  15.  52.  John  5.  28,  29.  Acts  24.  15.  Matt.  25.  31—33.  Rom.  14. 10, 
12.  2  Cor.  5.  10.  Eccl.  12.  14.  Matt.  12.  36.  Matt.  25.  34,  41,  46.  Rev.  14.  13.  2 
Thess.  1.  9.    Rev.  14.  11.    Dan.  12.  2.    Mark  3.  29.    Matt.  26.  24. 

Moreover,  we  believe  that  in  this  world  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  has  a  visible  Church;  that  the  terms  of 
membership  are  a  credible  profession  of  faith  in  Christ, 
and  of  that  holiness  which  is  wrought  by  the  renewing 
grace  of  God;  that  none  but  members  of  the  visible 
church,  in  regular  standing,  have  a  right  to  partake  of 
the  Lord's  Supper;  and  that  only  believers  and  their 
households,  can  be  admitted  to  the  ordinance  of  Bap- 
tism. 

In  conclusion,  we  believe  that  system  of  doctrines 
contained  in  the  Westminster  Assembly's  Shorter  Cat- 
echism— 


27 


Unto  the  Church  of  God,  which  is  at  Corinth,  to  them  that  are  sanctified  in 
Christ  Jesus,  called  to  be  saints,  with  all  that  in  every  place  call  upon  the  name 
of  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord,  both  theirs  and  ours.  Nevertheless  the  foundation  of 
God  standeth  sure,  having  this  seal,  the  Lord  knoweth  them  that  are  his.  For 
as  the  body  is  one,  and  hath  many  members,  and  all  the  members  of  that  one 
body,  being  many,  are  one  body,  so  also  is  Christ.  For  by  one  spirit  are  we  all 
baptized  into  one  body,  whether  we  be  Jews  or  Gentiles,  whether  we  be  bond  or 
free;  and  have  been  all  made  to  drink  into  one  Spirit.  That  in  the  dispensation 
of  the  fulness  of  times,  he  might  gather  together  in  one,  all  things  in  Christ,  both 
which  are  in  heaven,  and  which  are  on  earth,  even  in  him.  And  hath  put  all 
things  under  his  feet,  and  gave  him  to  be  head  over  all  things  to  the  church, 
which  is  his  body,  the  fulness  of  him  that  filleth  all  in  all.  He  that  hath  an  ear, 
let  him  hear  what  the  Spirit  saith  unto  the  churches.  And  I  say  also  unto  thee, 
That  thou  art  Peter,  and  upon  this  rock  I  will  build  my  church;  and  the  gates  of 
hell  shall  not  prevail  against  it. 

Go  ye  therefore,  and  teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them  in  the  name  of  the  Fa- 
ther, and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  And  as  they  were  eating,  Jesus 
took  bread  and  blessed  it,  and  brake  it,  and  gave  it  to  the  disciples,  and  said, 
Take,  eat,  this  is  my  body.  And  he  took  the  cup,  and  gave  thanks,  and  gave' it 
to  them,  saying,  Drink  ye  all  of  it;  for  this  is  my  blood  of  the  New  Testament, 
which  is  shed  for  many,  for  the  remission  of  sins.  But  I  say  unto  you,  I  will 
not  drink  henceforth  of  this  fruit  of  the  vine,  until  that  day  when  I  drink  it  new 
with  you  in  my  Father's  kingdom.  And  when  they  had  sung  a  hymn,  they  went 
out  into  the  mount  of  Olives.  Then  they  that  gladly  received  his  word  were  bap- 
tized, and  the  same  day  there  were  added  unto  them  about  three  thousand  souls. 
And  I  will  establish  my  covenant  between  me  and  thee,  and  thy  seed  after  thee, 
in  their  generations  for  an  everlasting  covenant;  to  be  a  God  unto  thee,  and  to 
thy  seed  after  thee.  And  God  said  unto  Abraham,  Thou  shalt  keep  my  covenant, 
therefore,  thou  and  thy  seed  after  thee,  in  their  generations.  This  is  my  cove- 
nant, which  ye  shall  keep  between  me  and  you,  and  thy  seed  after  thee;  every 
man  child  among  you  shall  be  circumcised.  And  ye  shall  circumcise  the 
flesh  of  your  foreskin;  and  it  shall  be  a  token  of  the  covenant  betwixt  me  and  you. 
And  he  that  is  eight  days  old,  shall  be  circumcised  among  you,  every  man  child 
in  your  generations;  he  that  is  born  in  the  house,  or  bought  with  money  of  any 
stranger,  which  is  not  of  thy  seed.  And  he  received  the  sign  of  circumcision,  a 
seal  of  the  righteousness  of  the  faith,  which  he  had,  yet  being  uncircumcised,  that 
he  might  be  the  father  of  all  them  that  believe,  though  they  be  not  circumcised, 
that  righteousness  might  be  imputed  unto  them  also.  Therefore  it  is  of  faith, 
that  it  might  be  by  grace,  to  the  end  the  promise  might  be  sure  to  all  the  seed; 
not  to  that  only  which  is  of  the  law,  but  to  that  also  which  is  of  the  faith  of  Abra- 
ham, who  is  the  father  of  us  all.  For  the  promise  is  unto  you  and  to  your  chil- 
dren. Their  children  also  shall  be  as  aforetime.  For  the  unbelieving  husband  is 
sanctified  by  the  wife,  and  the  unbelieving  wife  is  sanctified  by  the  husband;  else 
were  your  children  unclean,  but  now  they  are  holy.  But  Jesus  called  them  unto 
him  and  said,  Suffer  little  children  to  come  unto  me,  and  forbid  them  not;  for 
of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  God.  And  he  took  them  the  same  hour  of  the  night, 
and  washed  their  stripes;  and  was  baptized,  he  and  all  his,  straightway.  And 


23 


when  she  was  baptized,  and  her  household,  she  besought  us,  saying,  If  ye  have 
judged  me  to  be  faithful  to  the  Lord,  come  into  my  house,  and  abide  there.  And 
I  baptized  also  the  household  of  Stephanas.  For  I  have  received  of  the  Lord  that 
which  also  I  delivered  unto  you.  That  the  Lord  Jesus,  the  same  night  in  which 
he  was  betrayed,  took  bread.  And  when  he  had  given  thanks,  he  brake  it,  and 
said,  Take,  eat;  this  is  my  body,  which  is  broken  for  you;  this  do  in  remembrance 
of  me.  After  the  same  manner  also  he  took  the  cup,  when  he  had  supped,  say- 
ing, This  cup  is  the  New  Testament  in  my  blood;  this  do  ye,  as  oft  as  ye  drink  it 
in  remembrance  of  me.  For  as  often  as  ye  eat  this  bread  and  drink  this  cup,  ye 
do  show  the  Lord's  death  till  he  come.  And  when  a  stranger  shall  sojourn  with 
thee,  and  will  keep  the  passover  to  the  Lord,  let  all  his  males  be  circumcised,  and 
then  let  him  come  near  and  keep  it;  and  he  shall  be  as  one  that  is  born  in  the 
land;  for  no  uncircumcised  person  shall  eat  thereof.  Whosoever  therefore,  shall 
confess  me  before  men,  him  will  I  confess  also,  before  my  Father  which  is  in 
heaven.  But  whosoever  shall  deny  me  before  men,  him  will  I  also  deny  before 
my  Father  which  is  in  heaven.  Be  ye  not  unequally  yoked  together  with  unbe- 
lievers; for  what  fellowship  hath  righteousness  with  unrighteousness!  And  what 
communion  hath  light  with  darkness?  And  what  concord  hath  Christ  with  Be- 
lial? Or  what  part  hath  he  that  believeth  with  an  infidel?  But  unto  the  wicked 
God  saith,  What  hast  thou  to  do,  to  declare  my  statutes,  or  that  thou  shouldest 
take  my  covenant  in  thy  mouth.  The  sacrifice  of  the  wicked  is  an  abomination 
to  the  Lord;  but  the  prayer  of  the  upright  is  his  delight.  1  Cor.  1.  2.  2  Tim.  2 
19.  1  Cor.  12. 12, 13.  Eph.  1. 10,22,23.  Rev.  2.  7.  Matt.  16.  18.  Matt.  28.  19 
Matt.  26. 26—30.  Acts  2,  41.  Gen.  17.  7,  9, 10, 11,  12.  Rom.  4.  11,  16.  Acts  2 
39.  Jer.30.20.  1  Cor.  7. 14.  Luke  18. 16.  Acts  16.  33.  Acts  16. 15.  1  Cor.  1.16 
1  Cor.  11.  23—26.  Ex.  12,  48.  Matt.  10.  32, 33.  2  Cor.  6. 14, 15.  Psalms  50.  16 
Prov.  15. 8. 

Such  is  the  belief  of  this  Church.  Do  you  truly  profess 
and  heartily  believe  all  these  things? 

[The  ordinance  of  Baptism,  if  required,  is  now  administered.] 


You  will  now  enter  into  solemn  Covenant  ivith  God,  and 
with  this  Church. 


THE  COVENANT. 


In  the  presence  of  God,  his  holy  angels,  and  this  assembly, 
you  now  solemnly  avouch  the  Lord  Jehovah,  Father,  Son  and 
Holy  Ghost,  to  be  your  God,  the  supreme  object  of  your  affec- 
tion, and  your  portion  for  ever. 

You  now  cordially  acknowledge  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  in 
all  his  mediatorial  offices,  Prophet,  Priest  and  King,  as  your 
only  Savior  and  final  Judge;  and  the  Holy  Spirit  as  your 
Sanctifier,  Comforter  and  Guide. 

You  humbly  and  cheerfully  devote  yourselves  to  God,  in  the 
everlasting  covenant  of  his  grace;  you  consecrate  all  your 
powers  and  faculties  to  his  service  and  glory;  and  you  promise, 
that  through  the  assistance  of  his  Spirit,  you  will  cleave  to  him 
as  your  chief  good;  that  you  will  give  diligent  attendance  to 
his  word  and  ordinances;  that  you  will  seek  the  honor  and 
interest  of  his  kingdom;  and  that,  henceforth,  denying  all  un- 
godliness, and  every  worldly  lust,  you  will  live  soberly,  right- 
eously and  godly  in  the  world. 

You  do  now  cordially  join  yourselves  to  this  as  a  church  of 
Christ,  engaging  to  submit  to  the  rules  of  its  government  and 
discipline;  to  strive  earnestly  for  its  peace,  edification  and 
purity,  and  to  walk  with  its  members  in  charity,  faithfulness, 
circumspection,  meekness  and  sobriety. 

This  you  severally  profess  and  engage. 

[Here  the  Church  rises.] 

We  then  affectionately  receive  you,  as  members  of  the  visible 
Church  of  Christ,  in  full  communion,  and  entitled  to  all  its 
privileges.  We  welcome  you  to  this  fellowship  with  us  in  the 
blessings  of  the  Gospel,  and  on  our  part  engage  to  watch  over 


30 


you  and  seek  your  edification,  as  long  as  you  shall  continue 
among  us. 

Should  you  have  occasion  to  remove,  it  will  be  your  duty  to 
seek,  and  ours  to  grant,  a  recommendation  to  another  church; 
for  hereafter,  you  can  never  withdraw  from  the  watch  and  com- 
munion of  the  saints  without  a  breach  of  covenant. 

And  now,  beloved  in  the  Lord,  let  it  be  impressed  on  your 
minds,  that  you  have  come  under  solemn  obligations,  from 
which  you  can  never  escape.  Wherever  you  go,  these  vows 
will  be  upon  you.  They  will  follow  you  to  the  bar  of  God; 
and  in  whatever  world  you  may  be  fixed,  they  will  abide  upon 
you  to  eternity.  You  can  never  again  be  as  you  have  been. 
You  have  unalterably  committed  yourselves,  and  henceforth  you 
must  be  the  servants  of  God. 

Hereafter  the  eyes  of  the  world  will  be  upon  you;  and  as 
you  demean  yourselves,  so  religion  will  be  honored  or  dis- 
graced. If  you  walk  worthy  of  your  profession,  you  will  be  a 
credit  and  a  comfort  to  us;  but  if  otherwise,  it  will  be  an  occa- 
casion  of  grief  and  reproach.  But,  beloved,  we  are  persuaded 
better  things  of  you,  and  things  that  accompany  salvation, 
though  we  thus  speak. 

May  the  Lord  guide  and  preserve  you  till  death,  and  at  last 
receive  you  and  us  to  that  blessed  world  where  our  love  and 
joy  shall  be  forever  perfect.  Amen. 


OFFICERS,  STANDING  RULES,  &c. 


OFFICERS. 

No.  1.  A  clerk  who  shall  correctly  keep  the  records  of  the 
Church. 

2.  A  Treasurer  who  shall  take  charge  of  all  moneys  and 
property  belonging  to  the  church,  and  make  a  report  respecting 
the  same  at  each  annual  meeting,  and  at  such  other  times  as  the 
church  may  direct. 

3.  Deacons,  who,  together  with  the  Pastor  shall  compose  an 
examining  committee,  who  shall  examine  all  applicants  for  ad- 
mission, whether  by  letter  or  otherwise,  and  present  in  a  written 
report  to  the  church  the  names  of  such  as  they  approve; — the 
Church  having  the  right  to  attend  these  examinations,  and  make 
any  inquiries  they  please.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Deacons 
also,  to  counsel  with  the  Pastor  in  all  matters  relating  to  the 
spiritual  interests  of  the  church,  and  under  his  direction  to 
attend  and  sustain  meetings  of  inquiry,  conference,  instruc- 
tion and  prayer. 

STANDING  RULES. 

1.  The  Pastor,  if  present,  shall  preside  in  all  business  meet- 
ings of  the  Church,  and  of  the  Examining  Committee,  and  in 
his  absence,  the  oldest  Deacon  present. 

2.  All  meetings  for  business  shall  be  opened  with  prayer. 

3.  All  officers  in  the  Church,  except  the  Pastor  and  Deacons, 
shall  be  elected  annually  by  ballot,  at  the  annual  meeting, 
which  shall  be  on  the  first  Monday  in  January  of  every  vear. 

4.  All  elections  of  officers,  cases  of  admission  and  discipline, 


32 


and  all  other  matters  of  business  shall  be  decided  by  a  vote  of 
the  brethren  in  regular  standing  in  the  Church. 

5.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Pastor,  or  in  his  absence, 
of  the  Deacons,  to  call  a  meeting  of  the  Church  at  the  request 
of  one-fourtli  of  the  members  in  regular  standing. 

6.  The  pastoral  relation  between  this  church  and  its  minister 
shall  be  constituted  and  dissolved  according  to  the  usages  of  the 
Congregational  Church. 

7.  All  meetings  of  the  Church  shall  be  called  by  notice 
from  the  pulpit  in  the  presence  of  the  congregation.  It  is  de- 
sirable that  the  female  members  of  the  Church  should  attend 
all  its  meetings,  except  when  male  members  only  are  requested 
to  attend. 

8.  All  candidates  shall  be  propounded  to  the  Church  at  least 
two  weeks  previous  to  admission;  and  notice  thereof  publicly 
given  on  the  Sabbath  following. 

9.  The  Lord's  Supper  shall  be  administered  once  in  two 
months,  on  the  afternoon  of  the  first  Sabbaths  of  January, 
March,  May,  July,  September  and  November. 

10.  Admissions  to  the  Church  shall  be  made  on  the  after- 
noon of  the  communion,  in  the  presence  of  the  congregation. 

11.  The  ends  of  Discipline  are  the  removal  of  offences — 
the  purity  of  the  Church — the  benefit  of  offenders — and  the 
honor  of  Christ.  Offences  are,  of  two  kinds — private  and 
public.  Private  offences  are  such  as  are  known  only  to  an  in- 
dividual, or  at  most  to  a  very  few.  Public  offences  are  such  as 
are  widely  spread,  and  are  repeatedly  charged  upon  an  indi- 
vidual by  a  general  rumor. 

No  complaint  or  information  on  the  subject  of  a  personal  or 
private  offence,  shall  be  admitted  by  the  Church,  unless  the 
means  of  reconciliation,  or  of  privately  reclaiming  the  offender 
have  been  used,  which  are  required  by  Christ,  (Matt.  18.  15, 
16.)  And  in  case  of  a  public  offence,  the  same  steps  shall  be 
taken,  when  circumstances  will  admit;  otherwise,  the  Church 
shall  appoint  individual  members,  to  converse  with  the  offender 
privately,  in  order  to  reclaim  him.  If  the  offender  do  not 
listen  to  the  advice  and  remonstrance  of  those  commissioned 
by  the  Church  to  visit  him,  then  the  Church  shall  proceed  to 


33 


exercise  such  discipline,  as  the  nature  and  the  circumstances  of 
the  offence  require. 

12.  Admonition  and  excommunication  are  to  be  adminis- 
tered by  the  Pastor,  or,  when  there  is  no  Pastor,  by  the  Mode- 
rator, in  conformity  to  a  vote  of  the  Church. 

13.  Any  member  having  cause  of  complaint  against  another 
should  immediately  seek  to  have  it  removed,  as  directed  in 
Matt.  18th  chapter,  15th,  16th  and  17th  verses. 

14.  No  individual  can  cease  to  be  a  member  of  the  Church 
unless  regularly  dismissed,  and  recommended  to  some  other 
Church,  or  excommunicated  for  some  offence. 

15.  Persons  who  belong  to  other  Churches,  and  expect  to 
reside  among  us  more  than  a  year,  shall  be  debarred  the  privi- 
lege of  communing  with  this  Church,  unless  within  a  year  they 
procure  letters  of  dismission  and  recommendation  from  the 
Churches  to  which  they  belong,  and  become  regular  members 
of  this  Church;  provided,  however,  that  if  they  give  satisfac- 
tory reasons  to  the  Church,  a  longer  delay  may  be  admitted. 

16.  There  shall  be  a  meeting  of  the  Church  for  conference 
and  prayer,  on  the  Thursday  next  succeeding  the  administra- 
tion of  the  Lord's  Supper. 

17.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  members  to  attend  such 
stated  meetings,  as  are  appointed  by  the  Church,  unless  provi- 
dentially detained. 

18.  Any  of  the  above  rules  may  be  amended  by  a  vote  of 
two-thirds  of  the  Church;  the  amendment  having  been  read 
before  the  Church,  at  least  two  weeks  previous  to  their  acting 
thereupon. 

13 


CATALOGUE 


OF  THE 


FIRST   CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH, 


JANUARY  1,  1838. 


Those  marked  thus  t  are  candidates  for  admission. 


Names. 
Atwater,  Charles 

"  Mary,  Mrs. 
Atwood,  Mary,  Miss 


Residence. 

Pine  street  above  Ninth. 

do.  do. 
362  Walnut  street. 


Bacon,  B.  C. 

"     Olive,  Mrs. 
Barnes,  Margaretta  0. 
Bennett,  Alfred 

"       Ann  Maria,  Mrs. 
t  "       Hannah,  Mrs. 
t  Blair,  Henry  C. 
Boyd,  James  W. 

"     Mary,  Miss 

"     Elizabeth,  Mrs. 

"      Margarette,  Miss 
t  Brace,  Joab,  Jr. 
Bishop,  George  C. 
Brown,  William  K. 


Eleventh  below  Walnut. 

do.  do. 
Fifth  above  Callowhill. 
South  Ninth  below  Lombard. 

do.  do. 

do.  do. 
Corner  ol  Walnut  and  Eighth. 
Market  below  Eighth. 

do.  do. 

do.  do. 

do.  do. 
Clinton  above  Tenth. 

27  Girard  street. 


t  Briscoe,  James  H.  171  Walnut  street, 
t  "       Elizabeth  V.  do.  do. 

t  "       Sarah,  Mrs.  do.  do. 

t  «       Mary  E.  Miss.  do.  do. 


Charnley,  W.  S. 

"        Elizabeth  A. 

"        Martha  A.  S. 
Church,  Harriet,  Mrs. 
Coffin,  Lemuel 
t  "    Mary,  Mrs. 

"     Lucia  T. 
Colton,  Sabin  W. 
(C      Susan,  Mrs. 
"      Rhoda,  Mrs. 
"      Delia  T. 
t  "      Mary  B.  Mrs. 
Clark,  John 
Clarkson,  Jacob 

"       Elizabeth  G.  Mrs. 

"  Charles 

"       Matilda,  Mrs. 
t    "       Jane,  Mrs. 
t     "       Mary,  Miss 
t  Crowell,  John 
Cross,  Marcus  E. 
t  Cummings,  Nancy,  Miss 


Pine  above  Ninth. 

do.  do. 
Locust  above  Eighth. 
Tenth  below  Shippen. 
S3  Union  street. 

do.  do. 
77  Cherry  street. 
244  Market  street. 

do.  do. 
Corner  of  Eighth  and  Locust. 

do.  do. 
Seventh  below  Spruce. 

Tenth  below  Lombard. 

do.  do. 

do.  do. 

do.  do. 

do.  do. 

do.  do, 
119  Lombard  street. 
31  Sansom  street. 
Cor.  Pine  and  Fifth. 


t  Dean,  James  E.  P. 
Den  man,  Matthias  B. 

"       Sarah,  Mrs. 

«  Elizabeth 
Downing,  James  W. 


D. 

South  Eighth  street. 
Tenth  and  Clinton. 

do.  do. 
88  South  Fourth  street. 
244  Market  street. 


37 


Elmes,  Thomas 
"  Lydia,Mrs. 
"      Thomas,  Jr. 
"      Mary  L.  Miss 

Evving,  Ann,  Mrs. 

t  Edwards,  Sibby,  Mrs. 


Flint,  Archelaus 

"    Mary,  Mrs. 
Fry,  Elizabeth,  Miss 

Gibson,  Ellen  N. 
Green,  Richard  W. 
"    Eliza,  Mrs. 


Hancock,  Frederick 

"     Anne,  Mrs. 
Harvey,  Henry  D. 

"        Harriet  H.,  Mrs. 
Harvey,  Joseph 
Haven,  Joshua  P. 
Hill,  Elizabeth  L.  Miss 


Joy,  Julia  A.  Miss 
"    Emily,  Miss 
"    Henry  L. 


E. 

9  Portico  Row. 

do.  do. 

do.  do. 

do.  do. 
150  North  Tenth. 
Cor.  Spruce  and  Fifth. 

F. 

North  Sixth. 

do.  do. 
North  Second. 

G. 

150  North  Tenth. 
Arch  above  Eleventh, 
do.  do. 

H. 

Prune  below  Fifth. 

do.  do. 
Eleventh  below  Lombard. 

do.  do. 
Thirteenth  below  George. 
Seventh  below  Locust. 
Vine  above  Tenth. 

J. 

Tenth  below  Spring  Garden. 

do.  do. 
Market  above  Ninth. 

K. 


Kingsley,  George 

"       Mary  D.,  Mrs. 


Tenth  below  Market, 
do.  do. 


38 


Langstroth,  James  N. 
Linnard,  Catherine  M.  Miss 


Martin,  Samuel 
Milne,  Anne,  Mrs. 

"  Ann  Eliza,  Miss 
Moulton,  George  T. 


Nevins,  Acsah,  Mrs. 
"       Isabella,  Miss 


Palmer,  Elizabeth,  Miss 

"  Sarah,  Miss 
Peterson,  Lawrence 
Prescott,  David  W. 

"         Susan,  Mrs. 
t  Porter,  Addison 
t     "      Anne,  Mrs. 


Rabeau,  Anna  R.  Miss 
Ramsay,  Alexander 
Reynolds,  Nancy,  Mrs. 
Rhoades,  Mary,  Mrs. 
Richards,  Clarinda 
Rogers,  Henrietta,  Miss 

"  Timothy 
Rudrow,  Eliza,  Mrs. 


L. 

112  Walnut  St. 
Spruce  below  Twelfth. 

M. 

150  North  Tenth. 

Arch  above  Sixth. 
Tenth  above  Vine. 

N. 

South  Second  below  Walnut, 
do.  do. 

P. 

Walnut  above  Broad. 
Thirteenth  above  Market. 
1 9  Market  street. 
175  Pine  street. 

do.  do. 
Corner  Eleventh  and  Clinton. 

do.       do.  do. 

R. 

Arch  above  Sixth. 
219  Market  street. 
102  Chesnut  street. 
Jacoby  street, 
Clinton  above  Tenth. 

Eleventh  above  Spruce. 
27  Girard  street. 


4 


'inceton  Theological  Seminary-Speer  Library 


1  1012  01034  1958 


